Acute Toxicity Studies and Evaluation of Analgesic Property of the Methanol Stem Bark Extract of Neocarya macrophylla.

The methanol stem bark extract of Neocarya macrophylla was screened for its analgesic activity using acetic acid-induced writhing in mice and formalin-induced pain in rats. The results of the study showed that the extract (60mg/kg, i.p.) decreased writhing response with 63.9% inhibition. The methanol extract also exhibited significant analgesic effect (P<0.05) in the formalin test which is in the same order of magnitude as that observed after administration of pentazocine (10mg/kg, i.p.) the standard drug. The intraperitoneal median lethal dose (LD50) of the methanol extract of N. macrophylla was found to be 283mg/kg in mice suggesting the plant is fairly toxic. The results of the study have shown that the methanol extract of N. macrophylla possesses analgesic activity which rationalizes the traditional use of the plant in the management of pain.

Flavonol Glycosides from the Aerial Parts of Indigofera hirsuta and Anti-inflammatory Activity of n-butanol Fraction.

Aims: The study aimed to phytochemically investigate the n-butanol soluble fraction of Indigofera hirsuta aerial parts and to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the fraction using laboratory animal models. Study Design: Isolation and elucidation of the bioactive compounds and antiinflammatory activity investigation on n-butanol soluble fraction. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria - Nigeria. The study was completed between January-October, 2011. Methodology: The compounds isolated were identified using different spectroscopic techniques. The n-butanol fraction was investigated for its effect on carrageenan-induced oedema in rat’s experimental model. Results: Two Flavonol glycosides were isolated; Kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (T2) and Kaempferol-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (Q3).The fraction significantly (P = .05) inhibited the carrageenan-induced paw oedema at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg tested. The percentage anti-inflammatory effect of the highest dose tested (300 mg/kg) at the peak hour was higher than that of ketoprofen (10 mg/kg), the standard anti-inflammatory agent. Conclusion: The result of this research suggests that the n-butanol soluble fraction of Indigofera hirsuta aerial parts contains bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory activity.