Evaluation of antiepileptic activity of ethanolic extract of garlic containing 3.25% allicin in experimental animals

Abstract

Introduction: Epilepsy is a condition of the brain that causes seizures and affects a significant portion of the global population, and current treatments often have limited efficacy and undesirable side effects. Throughout history, people have utilized garlic for its medicinal properties to address diverse health concerns. Allicin is a major component of garlic. We conducted an experiment to evaluate the antiepileptic properties of an ethanolic extract of garlic (EEG) with 3.25% allicin content using acute epilepsy models. Methods: For our experiment, we employed 72 Swiss albino mice, which were divided into six separate groups. Chemo-convulsant PTZ and strychnine HCL were used to induce epileptic activity in the mice, and the standard used was diazepam (5 mg/kg p.o.). Our study evaluated the effectiveness of an ethanolic garlic extract (EEG) with the same potency as allicin at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg (p.o.). on epileptic activity was assessed using a variety of parameters. The GABA level of mice brains was also estimated. Results: The allicin treatment led to a notable decrease in the duration and increase in the latency of seizures that were induced by PTZ and strychnine. The extract also showed a significant decrease in the mortality rate. Test allicin intervention restored brain GABA levels in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Our study indicates that the EEG containing 3.25% allicin has the potential as an antiepileptic agent, possibly due to its modulation of the GABAergic neurotransmitter systems.

Keywords

• Epilepsy
• Garlic
• Allicin
• Pentylenetetrazol
• Strychnine hydrochloride
• Antiepileptics