RÉSUMÉ
Ficus bengalensis Linn, called ‘Nyagrodha’ in Ayurveda is a medicinal tree with wide range of uses in Ayurveda. The tree is having many useful parts such as bark, flower, latex, aerial roots etc. Among these, the stem bark which belongs to Panchavalkala in Ayurveda is having high demand in current scenario. Panchavalkala is the group of stem bark of five medicinal species in Ayurvedic system of medicine, which is an ingredient of many formulations. Other than this stem bark of Ficus bengalensis Linn is having many ethno medicinal uses. The drug is used for treating skin disorders, bleeding diseases, various metabolic disorders such as diabetes, dyslipidemia etc. Owing to the high demand of the drug, the adulteration of stem bark of Ficus bengalensis is common. The adulteration mostly happens with stem bark of other Ficus species as well as with the wood portion of the same instead of the bark. Thus here is an attempt to establish the genuineness of stem bark of Ficus bengalensis Linn by method of pharmacognosy and physico-chemical evaluation. The pharmacognostic evaluation includes macroscopic, microscopic evaluation of stem bark as well as the powder macroscopy and microscopy of the same by referring the standards. The physico-chemical evaluation is done by assessing various physico-chemical parameters such as foreign matter, ash values, extractive values, tannin content, sugar content, phenol content etc. Both the pharmacognostical and physico-chemical evaluation has proved the genuineness of the drug.
RÉSUMÉ
The effect of aqueous extract of Ficus bengalensis (FBE) was assessed in different acute and chronic gastric ulcer models in rats. Gastric ulcers induced in swiss albino rats (200g, N=6) by oral administration of aspirin suspension and pylorus ligation. The anti ulcer activity was assessed by determining and comparing the ulcer index in the test drug groups with that of the vehicle control and standard ranitidine & sucralfate. FBE, 250–500 mg/kg administered orally, twice daily for 5 days showed dose-dependent ulcer protective effect in pylorus ligation (51.28, 63.24% protection, P < 0.01 to P < 0.001), aspirin (28.94, 64.91 protection, P < 0.001). The parameters taken to assess antiulcer activity were pH of gastric juice, total acidity and ulcer index. The results indicated that aqueous extract significantly (p<0.05) Ph, total acidity and ulcer index. On the basis of histopathology analysis, The results indicate that FBE possesses antiulcer activity in a dose dependent manner.
RÉSUMÉ
The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic, antipyretic properties of the various (chloroform, ethanol and water) extracts from leaf of Ficus bengalensis (Moraceae) in rats. Dose of the different extracts 200mg/kg, i.p. were significantly reduced (p<0.05). The analgesic activity of leaf of Ficus bengalensis was studied using hot-plate method and tail-immersion method in rats. The antipyretic activity of leaf of Ficus bengalensis was studied in Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. Ethanolic extract of leaf of Ficus bengalensis showed more significant activity, while, chloroform extract and water extract does not showed significant (p<0.05) analgesic activity as compared to standard drug using hot-plate method and by tail-immersion method. Extracts obtained were also subjected to evaluate antipyretic activity by yeast induced fevered rats. Aspirin (100mg/kg) was taken as standard drug. Water and chloroform extract showed significant decrease in elevated body temperature, while ethanol extract did not showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in elevated body temperature as compared to standard drug.
RÉSUMÉ
In the present study, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of aqueous extract of Ficus bengalensis (AEFB) and methanolic extract of F. bengalensis (MEFB) was evaluated in animal models. Preliminary results indicated that MEFB treatment possesses significant anti-inflammatory potential as compared to AEFB. The anti-inflammatory activity of MEFB exhibited in both acute (carrageenan induced hind paw edema and acetic acid induced vascular permeability) and sub-chronic (cotton pellet-induced granuloma) models of inflammation was found to be significant. In addition, the extract also showed significant analgesic activity in acetic acid induced writhing. Pretreatment with MEFB during inflammatory condition (both acute and sub-chronic) prevented increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and myeloperoxidase activity in edematous as well as granulomatous tissue. Further, serum marker enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) increased in inflammatory conditions were also inhibited with MEFB treatment. Hence, the anti-inflammatory activity observed in the present study with MEFB could be attributed largely to its antioxidant and lysosomal membrane stabilizing effects.