PHARMACODYNAMIC STUDIES ON BUTEA MONOSPERMA (PALASH) FLOWERS
Loading...
Date
2009
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Chhattisgarh Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya
Abstract
The present investigation was undertaken to screen some
pharmacodynamic activities of hot petroleum ether extract (BPEE) and methanol
extract (BME) of Butea monosperma (Palash) flowers in laboratory animals.
Mature flowers of B. monosperma were collected from the College of
Veterinary Science & AH, Anjora, Durg (CG) campus and identified from
Department of Botany, Science College, Durg. The extraction of dry flower
powder with hot petroleum ether yielded about 2.2% of hot petroleum ether
extract (BPEE) and about 9.2% of hot methanol extract (BME). This Butea
monosperma flower extracts (BPEE and BME) were used for the pharmacological
studies.
Adult Wistar albino rats (100-130 gm) and Swiss Albino mice (20-30 gm)
of either sex were used as experimental animals.
Limit test revealed that the oral LD50 of BPEE and BME was above 2000
mg/kg body weight and therefore could be used safely in the animals up to the
oral dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. The rats treated with both BPEE and BME
@ 2000 mg/kg, p.o. showed depression, sleepiness, uneasy gait, reduced
spontaneous motor activity, reduced response to touch but did not lose the
righting reflex and apparently indicated CNS depressant activity.
Based on the acute toxicity study maximum possible oral dose (1/5th of
LD50 dose) of BPEE and BME i.e. 400 mg/kg was selected for all the studies.
74
The anti-inflammatory activity of BPEE and BME were tested using ratpaw
oedema model, induced by carrageenan. The rats treated with BPEE and
BME @ 400 mg/kg, p.o. showed significant (p< 0.05) reduction (32 % and 40 %,
respectively) in rat-paw oedema as compared to control. There was no significant
(p< 0.05) difference between oedema volume produced by carrageenan in BPEE
and BME treated groups. The anti-inflammatory activity of BPEE and BME as
observed in the present study could be because of its antagonistic action of
mediators of inflammation.
Hot plate analgesia test was performed for screening central analgesic
property of BPEE and BME in male mice. The mice treated with both BPEE and
BME @ 400 mg/kg, p.o. showed significant (p< 0.05) increase in reaction time
(139.62% and 111.02%, respectively) as compared to control. The increase in
reaction time by BPEE was significantly (p< 0.05) higher than BME. The central
analgesic activity of BPEE and BME as revealed by the increase in reaction time
might be due to phenolic glycosides constituents (flavonoids) present in the
extracts.
The peripheral analgesic activity of BPEE and BME was screened by
acetic acid induced writhing test in female mice. In this test, both BPEE and BME
@ 400 mg/kg, p.o. produced significant (p< 0.05) reduction (56.00% and 42.53%,
respectively) in the number of writhing counts. The reduction in writhing counts
in BPEE treated group was significantly (p< 0.05) higher than BME treated group
at equal dose level. The writhing test indicated that both extracts also possessed
significant peripheral analgesic effect and this might be due to the inhibitory
effect of flavonoids and triterpenes (chemical constituents of flowers) on the
formation and/or release of the endogenous pain producing substances.
The antipyretic activity of both extracts (BPEE and BME) was evaluated
against Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia in male albino rats. Both BPEE and BME
@ 400 mg/kg, p.o. in rats produced significant (p< 0.05) antipyretic effects at 1, 3
and 6 h, post-treatment. The ability to inhibit/reverse the centrally synthesized
prostaglandin or COX by the flavonoids (chemical constituents of flowers) could be
one of the possible mechanisms that contribute to the antipyretic activity of the
BPEE and BME seen in the present study.
75
The CNS depressant activity of both BPEE and BME were confirmed by
significant (p< 0.05) prolongation of phenobarbitone-induced sleeping time in
mice (69.28 and 49.60 percent respectively) and significant (p< 0.05) decrease in
spontaneous motor activity in mice (70.40 and 63.00 percent, respectively) as
compared to respective controls.
Both BPEE and BME @ 400 mg/kg failed to abolish the hind limb tonic
extensor component of maximal electroshock seizure; however, both the extracts
significantly (p< 0.05) reduced (40.64% and 23.09%, respectively) the duration of
the above component of MES.
The ulcerogenic potential of BPEE and BME was tested using rat stomach
model. The study revealed that both BPEE and BME (400 mg/kg, p.o.)
administered daily for consecutive 7 days had no adverse effect on the gastric
mucosa of rats.
The results obtained from this study established that the BPEE and BME
possessed anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic activities without any
ulcerogenic activity. The results also suggested that both the extracts of Butea
monosperma flowers also possessed significant CNS depressant effect.
Description
Keywords
null