In vitro cytotoxic and in vivo anxiolytic study of methanolic crude extract of Sterculia villosa seeds

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic and in vivo anxiolytic and sedative activities of the methanolic extract of Sterculia villosa roxb seeds. The dried powder of the seeds was extracted with methanol which was then tested to ascertain the neuropharmacological and cytotoxic potentials. The methanolic extract of Sterculia villosa roxb were subjected to Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay for possible cytotoxicity having LC₅₀ of 8.672 µg/ml. However, fractions produced concentration dependent increase in percent of mortality of Brine Shrimp nauplii which indicated the presence of cytotoxic property. Study continued to investigate possible sedative and anxiolytic activity of the methanolic seed extract of Sterculia villosa roxb in mice. This study includes hole cross, open field, thiopental-sodium induced sleeping time and elevated-plus maze (EPM) tests at the dose of 200 mg/kg while on the peripheral and central nervous system the extract mild to moderately decreased the locomotor activity of mice in hole cross, open field and EPM test. However, the extract minimized the onset of sleep moderately and had maximized the duration of sleep slightly, when administered with thiopental sodium.