Pharmacological evaluation of the folklore of Sphenostylis stenocarpa.

The pharmacological effects of an aqueous extract of Sphenostylis stenocarpa seed were investigated in albino mice. Acute toxicity testing indicated the LD50 to be 570 mg/kg, i.p. The extract significantly potentiated pentobarbitone-induced sleeping time. Increasing the dose of the extract correspondingly increased the sleeping time up to a dose of 60 mg/kg i.p. The extract did not protect mice from convulsions and death resulting from the administration of strychnine (2 mg/kg, i.p.) or leptazol (100 mg/kg, s.c.).