Effect of hydro-alcoholic root extract of Plumbago zeylanica l alone and its combination with aqueous leaf extract of Camellia sinensis on haloperidol induced parkinsonism in wistar rats

BACKGROUND Herbal medicines have been used to treat PD in ancient medical systems in Asian countries such as India, China, Japan and Korea based on their own anecdotal or experience-based theories. Mucuna pruriens commonly known asvelvet beans, or cow itch, are used in case of spasms associated with Parkinsonism. PURPOSE To investigate the antiparkinsonism activity of hydro alcoholic root extract of P. zeylanica L (PZE) aloneand its combination withaqueous extract of C. sinensis leaves (AECS) in Haloperidol induced model. METHODS Parkinsonism (PD) was induced by intraperitoneal administration of Haloperidol (1 mg/kg). The extracts/drugs being tested were administered orally (p.o) 60 min prior to the administration of the Haloperidol. Catalepsy was measured using the metal bar test. RESULTS Haloperidol induced a time dependent increase in cataleptic score in rats, as compared to vehicle treated groups. All the groups ie L-dopa + carbidopa (syndopa), hydro-alcoholic extract of P. zeylanica alone and its combination with C. sinensis showed significantly (P<0.001) lower scores of catalepsy at all time periods as compared to Haloperidol. Results were analyzed by one way ANOVA followed by Dunnet's multiple comparison tests. CONCLUSION It is concluded that P. zeylanica alone and its combination with C. sinensis exert a protective effect against PD, while bi-herbal extracts showed more significant protective effect. Hence it may offer a safer therapeutic approach to the treatment of PD and drug induced dyskinesia.