In indigenous or folk medicine, Euphorbia hirta is a very popular herb and used as a palliative to treat
various ailments including intestinal parasites, diarrhoea, vomiting, amoebic dysentery, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, coughs, kidney stones, menstrual problems etc. The objective of this study is
to evaluate the anxiolytic and sedative-like effects of the methanol extract
from the leaves of Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae). Methanolic extract of Euphorbia hirta was evaluated for its CNS depression effect using
mice behavioral models such as, elevated plus maze and hole board test for its
anxiolytic potential where hole cross and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time
tests were performed for its sedative properties, respectively. The test group
received three different doses of the MEHL (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg)
orally. The positive control group received diazepam (1 mg/kg) orally where the
negative control group received distilled water (10 ml/kg) orally. In elevated
plus maze test, the extract exhibited significant (p < 0.05) increased the number of open
arm entry and time spent in open arm by mice compared to control group. In
addition, the number of head dips and hole crosses significantly (p < 0.05)
decreased by mice in hole board and hole cross tests respectively, compared to
control group. Moreover, mice treated with MEHL significantly decrease the onset of sleep and increase the
duration of sleep in pentobarbital-induced sleeping time test in mice
compared to control group. The data obtained from the present study clearly
demonstrate that the methanolic extract of Euphorbia
hirta has potential anxiolytic and sedative-like activity in the animal behavioral
models. And the findings represent a rational explanation for its use in
traditional medicine for the management of neurological disorder.