ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-diarrheal, anti-diabetic activity of barks and leaves of the plant V. cinerea. The acute toxicity test was also carried out on the stems, barks and the leaves of the plant V.Cineria was sun dried and extracted using methanol. Later the crude methanolic extract was fractionated into three different fractions using carbon-tetrachloride, di-chloromethane and water. The anti-diarrheal activity was tested using the non polar carbon-tetra-chloride fraction in a dose dependent manner and it was found that the fraction does not possess any anti-diarrheal activity. The anti-diabetic study was done in rats using the alloxan-induced diabetes method. The carbon tetrachloride fraction of methanolic stem-bark and leaves extract of V. cinerea in all the doses used caused a time dependent and significant (p < 0.05) reduction of the blood glucose levels of the alloxan-induced diabetic rats when compared to the negative control group. The highest activity of V. cinerea extract in this experiment was observed at the dose of 500 mg/kg. Acute toxicity was done by following the method of Lorke. The acute toxicity in rats produced no death or signs of toxicity even at the highest dose of the extract (3500 mg/kg).
ABSTRACT
Phytochemical screening of Vernonia cinerea (Family: Asteraceae) showed the presence of steroids, glycosides, triterpinoids & esters in the methanolic extract of stem bark and leaves of the plant. The presence of these compounds clearly indicates different medicinal properties of V. cinerea. NMR data also confirmed the presence of Lupeol, 12-oleanen-3-ol-3ß-acetate, Stigmasterol, ß-sitosterol in n-hexane portion.