HEMIDESMUS INDICUS L.: EVALUATION OF SEDATIVE & HYPNOTIC EFFECT IN THE ELEVATED PLUS-MAZE APPARATUS

Javed Khan Pathan*, Girendra Gautam and Arun Kumar Gupta

ABSTRACT

This is the preliminary study of Hemidesmus indicus L. for sedative and hypnotic activity. The plant is used as folk medicine. In present work sedative & hypnotic like properties were evaluated for ethanolic & aqueous extract of H. indicus L. Stem & Leaves. Thiopental Sodium has been used as an index for the hypnotic effect. Loss of the righting reflex was used to determine start of sleep. The sleep latency and sleeping time were evaluated in the present study. The results showed that extracts could obviously shortens the sleep latency and prolongs the sleeping time of mice produced by thiopental sodium (60 mg/kg, i.p.). Stem & Leaves extracts were produced significant sedative & hypnotic effect in elevated plus-maze. The dose-effect relationship is remarkable. Aim of Study: The goal is to use the evidentiary strengths thatboth systems (Ayurvedicand Westernparadigms) of thought bring to the table, taking care nottoevaluateonesystemusingthelensoftheother system, but to come to a better understanding of anantamulandwhatithastooffer. Presently increasing demand of herbal products acquired in global markets, as well as medicinal plants collected for personal consume are a known modern tendency. In the present study, ethnomedicinal use of H. indicus L.stem & leavesas sedative and hypnotic has been studied & evaluated.

Keywords: Hemidesmus indicus, H. indicus, sedative & hypnotic, thiopental sodium, sleepingtime.