Sedative and Anticonvulsant Properties of the Decoction of Balanites aegyptiaca (Balanitaceae)

The decoction of Balanites aegyptiaca, a plant used in traditional medicine in Africa for many diseases, possesses anticonvulsant and sedative activity in mice. This decoction protected mice against strychnine- and pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures. But Balanites aegyptiaca decoction had no effect against picrotoxin-induced seizures. In the other side, the decoction of Balanites aegyptiaca potentiated sleep-induced by diazepam. The total sleep time of the control group was multiply by 4 in the presence of the decoction at a dose of 1000 mg /kg (from 12 to 59 min). With these effects, the decoction of Balanites aegyptiaca L. seem to posses sedative and anticonvulsant properties that might explain its use as a traditional medicine for epilepsy in Africa.