ABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Clausena lansium (Fool's Curry Leaf) is used for various ethnomedical conditions in some countries, including bronchitis, malaria, viral hepatitis, acute and chronic gastro-intestinal inflammation, and as a spicy substitute of the popular Curry leaf tree (Murraya koenigii). AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was to evaluate the ethnomedical uses of the stem bark in inflammatory conditions, hepatotoxicity and to determine the anti-diabetic and anti-trichomonal properties of the plant. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Anti-trichomonal, in vivo and in vitro antidiabetic and insulin stimulating, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and anti-oxidant activities using Trichomonas gallinae, glucose loaded rats and in vitro insulin secreting cell line (INS-1 cell), carrageenin-induced rat paw oedema, CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity and DPPH scavenging ability methods respectively for the extracts and some isolates were determined. RESULTS: A dichloromethane extract was superior over methanolic extract with respect to an anti-trichomonal activity which was measured after 24 and 48 h. The isolated compounds imperatorin and 3-formylcarbazole had the main anti-trichomonal activity (LC(50)s of 6.0, 3.0 and 3.6, 9.7 microg/mL after 24 and 48 h, respectively). Methanolic extract (100 mg/kg) induced maximum and significant (p<0.05) anti-hyperglycaemic activity of 15.8% at 30 min and a 38.5% increase in plasma insulin at 60 min, compared to control. The increase in plasma insulin after 60 min, compared to 0 min, was 62.0% (p<0.05). The significant 174.6% increase of insulin release from INS-1 cells (in vitro) at 0.1 mg/ml indicates that it mediates its antidiabetic action mainly by stimulating insulin release. Imperatorin and chalepin were the major active constituents increasing in vitro insulin release to 170.3 and 137.9%, respectively. 100 mg/kg of the methanolic extract produced an anti-inflammatory activity after 4 h. A sedative effect was not observed. 100 and 200 mg/kg of methanolic extract administered i.p., reduced CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity firstly by 5.3 and 8.4% reduction in phenobarbitone-sleeping time respectively, secondly by reversing the reduction in serum liver proteins by 7.0-8.8%, serum AST, ALT and ALP activities by 27.7-107.9% and thirdly by diminishing increased values of plasma AST, ALT and ALP activities by 13.2-83.8%. The extract exhibited antioxidant activities. CONCLUSION: The hepatoprotective activity of C. lansium is partly due to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and confirms its folkloric use in the treatment of gastro-intestinal inflammation, bronchitis and hepatitis. In addition the use of C. lansium stem bark would be useful in diabetes and trichomoniasis.
