Abstract

ANTIPYRETIC AND ANTIEPILEPTIC ACTIVITY STUDIES ON THE ROOTS OF HEMIDESMUS INDICUS (L.) R. BR. VAR. PUBESCENS (WT. & ARN.) HOOK. F.

Sandeep Darbari*, V. Madhavan1, E. Maheswari, S. N. yoganarasimhan

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the antipyretic and antiepileptic activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the roots of Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. pubescens (Wt. & Arn.) Hook. f. Methods: The air dried roots of the plant was powdered exhaustively and extracted with 95% v/v ethanol in a soxhlet apparatus by continuous hot extraction method and macerated with chloroform water for 24h. The yeast induced pyrexia in albino rats was used to screen the antipyretic activity. The maximal electroshock induced convulsion and Pentylenetetrazole induced convulsion on Swiss albino mice was performed to screen the antiepileptic activity. Results: In the Yeast induced pyrexia model aqueous and alcohol extracts at a dose of 400mg/kg showed significant lowering of body temperature which was comparable with standard drug. In MES induced convulsion method and PTZ induced convulsion method aqueous and alcohol extracts at a dose of 600mg/kg showed a significant antiepileptic effect which was comparable with phenytoin (25mg/kg, ip) and diazepam (4mg/kg, ip) respectively. Conclusion: Both extracts exhibited significant antipyretic action and antiepileptic activity against the models tested on par with standard drug. The results of pharmacological tests performed in the present study suggest that aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. pubescens (Wight. & Arn.) Hook. f. possesses potent antipyretic and antiepileptic effect.

Keywords: Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. pubescens (Wight. & Arn.) Hook. f., Antipyretic activity, Antiepileptic activity, MES, PTZ.