Comparative neuropharmacological efficacy of the leaf and root 70 % methanol extract of
Cissus cornifolia
was studied in mice. The extractive values of the leaf and root methanol extract was found to be 31.5 g with yield of 12.6 %(
w/w) and 37.8 g with the yield of 15.12 %(
w/w) respectively. The acute toxicity (LD
50) values in mice were found in leaf and root extracts as 2154.1 and 1131.4 mg kg
-1 bd. wt. (i.p.) respectively. The sedative properties on the CNS of both the leaf and root extracts were studied employing diazepam-induced sleep, motor coordination, and exploratory behavioural test in mice. Both extracts potentiated the diazepam-induced sleeping time with markedly higher duration of sleep at 600 mg kg
-1 bd. wt. (213.8 ± 27.5) exhibited by leaf extract. There was generally appreciable variation in the activities expressed by the leaf extract compared to that of the root in all the other tests conducted. Thus, at 300 mg k
-1 bd. wt. the leaf extract revealed 5.3 ± 0.7 while the root had 8.0 ± 0.8 as mean number of head-dips in mice. The mean duration of beam walk was found to be 6.88 ± 0.71 and 4.72 ± 0.28 expressed by the leaf and root extract respectively at the same dose of 300 mg k
-1 bd. wt. in mice. This work further confirms our earlier report on sedative effects of this plant as used traditionally against mental problems.
