In Nigerian traditional medicinal practices, Zapoteca portoricensis (Jacq) HM. Hernández roots are used as antidiarrhoea,
antispasmodic as well as treating convulsive disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the anticonvulsant
activity of the root extract and fractions of Zapotecca portoricensis in mice.
Three different in vivo test models were used: pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), picrotoxin (PTX) and strychnine (STR) inducedconvulsions
in mice. Mice were allotted to five (5) groups; group I served as the seizure control, groups II-IV served as the
test groups that received Z. portoricensis extract and fractions (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.), respectively while group V
served as the standard control.
The root extract and fractions of Zapoteca portoricensis dose-dependently exhibited significant anticonvulsant activity and
high percentage protection against mortality compared with the control. In the PTZ and STR-induced convulsions, EF and
MF at 400 mg/kg dose, showed the highest significant (p<0.001) delay in the time of onset of myoclonic spasms (MS) and
tonic-clonic phase (TCP), respectively while ME (400 mg/kg) showed highest significant (p<0.001) delay against PTXinduced
MS and TCP.
The results indicate that Zapoteca portoricensis root possesses significant anticonvulsant activity, thus a potential source of
effective drug against convulsive disorders.