EVALUATION OF SEDATIVE, HYPNOTIC AND ANTICONVULSANT EFFECTS OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA USING ANIMAL MODELS

The present study was undertaken to investigate the sedative, hypnotic & anticonvulsant effect of ethanolic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra root (GGRE) in mice using phenobarbitone sleeping time, maximal electroshock induced seizure models. GGRE at doses 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg was administered orally for 7 successive days in separate groups of Swiss young albino mice. Decrease in the onset of sleeping time and increase in the duration of sleeping time was observed in GGRE at doses 150 and 300 mg/kg. The onset of sleep and duration of sleep at the dose 300 mg/kg was comparable to that of Diazepam (1 mg/kg). GGRE at doses 150 & 300 mg/kg showed increase in onset of seizure and decrease in duration of seizure which was comparable to the standard drug Phenytoin (60mg/kg) .Thus, it may be concluded that GGRE may possess anticonvulsant & sedative, hypnotic effect.