ABSTRACT:
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures resulting from abnormal neuronal activity, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Despite the availability of various antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), a significant proportion of patients remain refractory to treatment and experience adverse effects, highlighting the need for safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. In recent years, medicinal plants have gained considerable attention as potential alternatives due to their multi-target pharmacological actions and improved tolerability. Among these, Elaeocarpus ganitrus (Rudraksha) and Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) have demonstrated promising neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anticonvulsant properties in preclinical studies. Withania somnifera is particularly known for its GABA-mimetic and adaptogenic effects, whereas Elaeocarpus ganitrus exhibits significant antioxidant and potential central nervous system-modulating activities. This review explores the pharmacological potential of these two medicinal plants and highlights the concept of synergistic herbal therapy as a novel approach in epilepsy management. The combination of these plants may offer enhanced therapeutic efficacy by simultaneously targeting multiple pathological pathways, including neurotransmitter imbalance, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. However, despite a strong mechanistic rationale, there is a lack of direct experimental and clinical evidence supporting their combined use. Therefore, further studies focusing on standardization, mechanistic validation, and clinical evaluation are essential to establish their efficacy and safety.Overall, this review underscores the potential of a synergistic combination of Elaeocarpus ganitrus and Withania somnifera as a promising multi-target therapeutic strategy for epilepsy, warranting further scientific investigation.