Phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation of prop roots of Pandanus fascicularis Lam

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the ethanol and aqueous extracts of prop roots of Pandanus fascicularis (P. fascicularis) Lam (pandanaceae). And provide experimental evidence for its traditional use such as rheumatoid arthritis and spasmodic.@*METHODS@#The anti-inflammatory activity was observed by carrageenan-induced edema of the hind paw of rats. Analgesic activities of prop roots of P. fascicularis were determined using acetic acid induced writhing model and tail clip method in mice and rat, respectively. The ethanol fraction was then subjected to chromatographic analysis and a compound has been isolated and characterized by IR, (1)H-NMR and mass spectroscopy.@*RESULTS@#Edema suppressant effect of ethanol extract was found to be 37.03% inhibition whereas aqueous extract was found to be 63.22% inhibition after 3 h which was nearly equivalent to that of 10 mg/kg of indomethacin (67.81%). Percentage inhibition of writhing compared to control were 63.15%, 54.38%, 14.90% for aspirin, aqueous extract and ethanolic extract, respectively. Both ethanol and aqueous extracts show significant activity against appropriate controls after 60 min of treatment on tail clip method. The structure of the isolated compound is may be characterized as Hepta deca-5-ene-1-ol by analysis it's IR, (1)H-NMR and mass spectroscopy data.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The extracts of prop roots of P. fascicularis produce significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities, supporting the traditional application of this herb in treating various diseases associated with inflammation and pain.

Effect of ethanol extract of flowers of Vitex Trifolia Linn. on CCL[4] induced hepatic injury in rats

Hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of flowers of Vitex trifolia [Verbenaceae] was studied against CCl[4] induced hepatic injury in albino rats. The plant extract [EVT] at the dose of 200 mg/kg, p.o. showed a remarkable hepatoprotective activity. CCl[4] induced a significant rise in serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT], serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase [SGOT], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], total bilirubin and gamma glutamate transpeptidase [GGTP]. Treatment of rats with EVT significantly [P<0.001] altered serum biomarker enzyme levels to near normal against CCl[4] treated rats. The activity of the extract was comparable to the standard drug, silymarin [100 mg/kg, p.o.]. Histopathological observations also revealed that treatment with EVT protected the animals from CCl[4] induced liver damage. The results indicate that the flowers of V. trifolia possess hepatoprotective activity on CCl[4] induced hepatic injury in rats