The effects of Icacina trichantha tuber extract on the nervous system

The tuber of Icacina trichantha was extracted with 50% methanol and concentrated to dryness in vacuo to give a yield of 5.6% w/w. The extract induced sleep in rats treated with high doses (400–1000 mg/kg i.p.). The LD50 of the extract was 671 mg/kg i.p. It potentiated pentobarbitone sleeping time in rats dose‐dependently and also induced significant local anaesthetic effects in guinea‐pigs. The extract was able to give 80% protection to rats poisoned with pentylenetetrazole but failed to protect rats from strychinine poisoning. It induced significant dose‐dependent analgesia in rats and showed significant muscle relaxant activity in mice.