STUDY THE PREVENTIVE EFFECT OF HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACT OF THYMUS VULGARIS (T.V) ON NICOTINE INDUCED CONVULSION

Siezure is the most important symptom of epilepsy and in many other neurological disorders. Because of the side effects of the synthetic medicines, these days medicinal plants widely used in the control of convulsions. In this study the anticonvulsive effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Thymus vulgaris on nicotine induced convulsions has been investigated in mice. Different Doses (100, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mg/kg) of the extract were administered intraperitoneally to test groups. For the positive control group diazepam (0.15 mg/kg) and for the negative control group normal saline (10 ml/kg) were injected intraperitoneally. After 30 minutes, nicotine (5 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally and the time for conset, duration and intensity of the convulsion and mortality rate were recorded.The results of administered doses (100, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mg/kg) showed that the effect was dose dependent and the doses of 800 and 1000 mg/kg had the maximum effect on delaying the conset of convulsion decreasing the duration and the intensity of the convulsion, but at dose of 1000 mg/kg the mortality rate was high.After administration of extract (800 mg/kg), at o, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minuts before injection of nicotine, the time of onset and intensity of convulsion were increased and decreased respectively, while only at 0, 15 and 30 minutes before nicotine injection, the duration of convulsion was decreased significantly(P<0.05).The results of this study, showed that Thymus vulgaris has anticonvulsive effect. In order to know the mechanism of action of the extract, it needs more investigations on different animal models.