• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.221-231
• /
• 2006

The aim of the present study is to investigate central nervous system (CNS) activity of the methanol extracts of leaves of Caesalpinia bonducella (MECB) and stem bark of Bauhinia racemosa (MEBR) (Caesalpinaceae) in Swiss albino mice and Wistar albino rats. General behavior, exploratory behavior, muscle relaxant activity and phenobarbitone sodium-induced sleeping time were studied. The results revealed that the methanol extracts of leaves of Caesalpinia bonducella at 100 - 200 mg/kg and stem bark of Bauhinia racemosa 100 - 200 mg/kg caused a significant reduction in the spontaneous activity (general behavioral profile), remarkable decrease in exploratory behavioral pattern (Y-maze and head dip test), a reduction in muscle relaxant activity (rotarod and traction tests), and also significantly potentiated phenobarbitone sodium-induced sleeping time. The results suggest that MECB and MEBR exhibit CNS depressant activity in tested animal models.