Anticonvulsant Effects of Fresh <i>Musa paradisiaca</i> Stem Juice in Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-Challenged Wistar Rats

This study aims to evaluate the antiseizure effect of Musa paradisiaca stem juice (MSJ). A pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) seizure model involving 36 adult male Wistar rats, randomly distributed into six groups (n = 6) was used in this study. Group 1 - normal control, group 2 - positive control, and group 3 (4 mg/kg b.wt. diazepam, p.o.). Groups 4, 5, and 6 received 50, 75, and 100% v/v MSJ, p.o., respectively. The PTZ (85 mg/kg b.wt., i.p.) was administered 45 min later, on the 10th day. The rats were monitored for convulsions. The results of the lethality test showed that MSJ is not relatively safe at a very high dose. The phytochemical screening revealed several bioactive compounds, with phenols being the most abundant (9.46 ± 0.03 mg/g), followed by alkaloids (5.54 ± 0.98 mg/g) and flavonoids (4.27 ± 1.23 mg/g). Three notable seizure episodes, 1, 2, and 3, were observed. At 75 and 100% v/v, MSJ significantly (p < 0.05) increased the latency periods of episode 1 (tonic and clonic) seizures. A 50% v/v of the juice delayed the onset of episode 2 seizures for more than 10 min, compared to that of the untreated group. The 75% and 100% v/v MSJ-treated groups did not show any seizures during episode 2, as observed in episode 1. The standard and test groups did not experience convulsions during episode 3. The findings of this study demonstrated that fresh MSJ offers promising anticonvulsant activity.