J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Jul; 87(1): 27-34.

Effects of Cyperus articulatus compared to effects of anticonvulsant compounds on the cortical wedge.

Ngo Bum E, Rakotonirina A, Rakotonirina SV, Herrling P.

DÃ©partement des Sciences Biologiques, FacultÃ© des Sciences, UniversitÃ© de NgaoundÃ©rÃ©, B.P. 565, NgaoundÃ©rÃ©, Cameroon. eli_bum@yahoo.fr

Cyperus articulatus L. (Cyperaceae) is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine in Africa and Latin America to treat many diseases. The water extract from rhizomes of Cyperus articulatus concentration-dependently reduced spontaneous epileptiform discharges and NMDA-induced depolarisations in the rat cortical wedge preparation at concentrations at which AMPA-induced depolarisations are not affected. The two antiepileptic compounds, valproate and ethosuximide, possessed effect neither on epileptiform discharges nor on AMPA- and NMDA-induced depolarisations. Phenobarbital, pentobarbital and phenythoin inhibited both AMPA- and NMDA-induced depolarisations and spontaneous epileptiform discharges. The effects of Cyperus articulatus were very close to the effect of D-CPPene. D-CPPene also inhibited spontaneous epileptiform discharges and antagonised NMDA- but not AMPA-induced depolarisations. The extract of Cyperus articulatus could contain components acting as NMDA antagonists.