EVALUATION OF CENTRALLY ACTING SKELETAL MUSCLE RELAXANT ACTIVITY OF ALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS OF ASHWAGANDHA (WITHANIA SOMNIFERA) ROOTS IN ALBINO MICE.

BACKGROUND:Skeletal muscle relaxants are drugs that are used to relax and diminish tightness in muscles. Many medicinal plants have known to have skeletal muscle relaxant activity. In past studies some Polyherbal formulation containing Ashwagandha as one of the ingredients and its fat extract have shown to have skeletal muscle relaxant activity in experimental animal models. This study is intended to evaluate the skeletal muscle relaxant activity of alcoholic extracts of Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) roots in albino mice, as the literature regarding this extract is scarce. METHODOLOGY: Standard drug (diazepam), different doses of Alcohol extract of ashwagandha (50,100, 150 mg/kg) were given orally to mice and muscle relaxant activity was assessed by Rota-rod apparatus. The fall off time from the rotating rod was noted for each group after 1 hour of drug administration. The difference in fall off time among the standard drug and treated mice was taken as an index of muscle relaxation. RESULTS:The test extract at its different doses showed highly signicant reduction in the time spent by the animals on revolving rod in rotarod test when compared to baseline (p < 0.0001) which is highly signicant. On comparison with diazepam, different doses of Alcohol extract showed weak relaxant activity. CONCLUSIONS : The three different doses of Alcoholic extract showed a dose dependent rise in muscle relaxant action. The results are promising for further investigation of efcient skeletal muscle relaxant activity.