Phytochemical investigations and antioxidant potential of roots of Leea macrophylla (Roxb.).

BACKGROUND: Oleanolic acid (NZ-15), 7 α, 28-olean diol (NZ-38) and Stigmasterol (NZ-14) were isolated from the ethanolic extracts of the roots of Leea macrophylla (Family: Leeaceae) by using chromatographic analysis. This is the first report of isolation of these compounds from this plant. Their structures were constructed by spectroscopic analysis and by comparing the data with the published one. Subsequently the ethanolic extract was fractionated with two organic solvents and all the fractions were studied to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant property. METHODS: The ethanolic extract was fractionated with two organic solvents and all the fractions were studied to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant property by DPPH free radical scavenging assay, superoxide anion radical scavenging assay, nitric oxide radical scavenging assay, and reducing power assay. RESULTS: In the DPPH free radical scavenging assay and superoxide radical scavenging assay, the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of ethanolic extract revealed the highest free radical scavenging activity with IC50 value of 2.65 and 155.62 µg/ml, respectively as compared to standard ascorbic acid (IC50 value of 5.8 and 99.66 µg/ml). Ethyl acetate fraction also possessed highest reducing power activity with an EC50 value of 15.27 µg/ml compared to ascorbic acid (EC50 0.91 µg/ml). On the other hand, the carbon tetrachloride fraction exhibited most significant NO scavenging activity with IC50 value of 277.8 µg/ml that was even higher than that of standard ascorbic acid (IC50 value 356.04 µg/ml). In addition, the total phenolic contents of these extract and fractions were evaluated using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and varied from 7.93 to 50.21 mg/g dry weight expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that different extracts of roots of L. macrophylla possess potential DPPH, superoxide, and NO free radical scavenging activities. The antioxidant activities of the plant extracts might be due to the presence of oleanolic acid, oleanolic acid derivative 7 α, 28-olean diol and stigmasterol.

In vivo analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory potential of leaf extracts and fractions of Eria javanica.

Background The objective of the study was to evaluate the antinociceptive, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanolic extract, methanolic extract and n-hexane and chloroform-soluble fractions of methanolic extract of Eria javanica leaves in animal model (rat and mice). Methods The anti-nociceptive potentials of the extracts were studied using the acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice and the antipyretic activity was investigated using yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. Anti-inflammatory activity test was done on rats at a dose by using carrageenan-induced paw edema test. Results In acetic acid-induced writhing inhibition study in Swiss albino mice, the crude methanolic extract at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg doses and the n-hexane soluble fraction of crude methanolic extract at 400 mg/kg showed statistically significant activity with 53.21 % (p<0.001), 50.36 % (p<0.001) and 67.86 % (p<0.001) inhibition respectively compared to control. The crude ethanolic extract showed statistically significant antipyretic activity from 1 hours and onwards after administration at doses of 200 mg/kg body weight (p<0.005 at 1st hour and p<0.001 at 2nd, 3rd and 4th hour respectively) and 400 mg/kg body weight (p<0.05 at 1st hour and p<0.001 at 2nd, 3rd and 4th hour respectively). The crude methanolic extract showed statistically significant antipyretic activity from 2 hours and onwards at 400 mg/kg body weight (p<0.05 at 2nd hour and p<0.001 at 3rd and 4th hour respectively) and 200 mg/kg body weight dose showed statistically significant antipyretic activity from 3 hours and onward(p<0.001) in Brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia test in albino Wister rats. In carrageenan-induced rat's paw edema test, crude methanolic extract showed statistically significant anti-inflammatory activity from 2nd hour and onwards. The chloroform-soluble fraction of methanolic extract also showed significant activity from 1st hour onwards. Conclusions This study thereby indicates that leaves of E. javanica possess peripheral analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities and therefore a suitable candidate for further study.

Ethnopharmacological investigation of the aerial part of Phragmites karka (Poaceae).

BACKGROUND: In this ethnopharmacological study, methanolic extract of the aerial plant parts of Phragmites karka (Family: Poaceae) and its petroleum ether and carbon tetrachloride fractions were investigated for bioactivities in Swiss-albino mice, namely, analgesic, central nervous system (CNS) depressant, hypoglycemic, and antidiarrheal activity. METHODS: The cold methanolic extract of the aerial plant parts of Phragmites karka (MEPK) was first prepared, and it was then further fractionated as petroleum ether (PEFMEPK) and carbon tetrachloride (CTFMEPK) fractions. Analgesic activity was performed employing acidic acid-induced writhing test, central analgesic effect by radiant heat tail-flick method. CNS depressant activity was evaluated by phenobarbitone-induced sleeping time test. Hypoglycemic activity was tested by glucose tolerance test (GTT). Antidiarrheal activity was evaluated by castor oil-induced diarrhea method. For all in vivo tests, doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight were used. RESULTS: In the mice model, the MEPK, PEFMEPK, and CTFMEPK fractions showed significant peripheral analgesic activity at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight with percentage of inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing 77.67 (p<0.001), 33.50 (p<0.001), and 40.29 (p<0.001), respectively, compared to the standard dichlofenac (60.68%, p<0.001) group. The hypoglycemic properties of MEPK, PEFMEPK, and CTFMEPK extracts were evaluated in normoglycemic mice where the reduction of blood glucose level after 30 min of glucose load were 69.85%, 78.91%, and 72.73%, respectively, and for standard glibenclamide, the reduction was 72.85%. All results were significant (p<0.05). In the case of the CNS depressant activity by phenobarbitone-induced sleeping time test, the crude ME significantly reduced sleep latency by 57.14% and increased the duration of sleep by 63.29% compared to the control, which were comparable to that of standard diazepam (65.71% and 77.62%, respectively). Among all the extract and fractions, methanolic extract showed the maximum antidiarrheal effect. The methanolic extract at 200 mg/kg dose induced a significant decrease in the total number of defecation in 4 h (69.05% of inhibition, p<0.001) and at 400 mg/kg dose showed 76.19% of inhibition (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In light of the available literature, these findings represent the first experimental investigation of biological activities of P. karka in the perspective of their traditional use.