Preliminary Phytochemical and Anti-pyretic Screening of Crude extract of the leaf of Clerodendrum colebrookianum

 

 

K.G.Mahajan1*, S.Tamilvanan2, H.S.Sawarkar1, R.R.Thenge1, V.S.Adhao1 and P.S.Gangane1,

1College of Pharmacy, Malkapur, Dist. – Buldana, 443101 Maharashtra, India.

2S.B.College of Pharmacy, Sivakasi, Dist – Virudunagar, 626130 Tamilnadu, India

 

 

ABSTRACT

The current study was focused to evaluate the antipyretic potential of the hexane extract (HECC) and methanol extract (MECC) of the whole plant Clerodendrum colebrookianum  (Family: Verbenaceae). HECC and MECC on normal body temperature and yeast - induced pyrexia in albino rats. The whole plant Clerodendrum colebrookianum was collected from Arvind Herbal lab, Rajapalayam and authenticated. The pulverized plant material (1000 gm) was extracted successively with hexane and methanol solvents in a soxhlet apparatus. Adult albino rats of either sex weighing 180 - 200g were taken for the experiment. Yeast suspension (10 ml /kg body wt.) increased rectal temperature after 17 hours of subcutaneous injection. The HECC and MECC at doses of 100mg, 300mg and 500mg / kg body temperature and yeast - provoked elevated temperature in a dose dependent manner. The effect also extended up to 5 hours after the drug administration. The anti-pyretic effect of HECC and MECC was comparable to that of a standard antipyretic agent paracetamol (150 mg / kg body wt, p.o).

 

KEYWORDS: Antipyretic activity, HECC, MECC, Clerodendrum colebrookianum

 

 

INTRODUCTION

Clerodendrum colebrookianum is a shrub, which has foetid smell. It is a common medicinal plant used for rheumatic pains. Roots with bark are helpful in cough, scrofulous affections and asthma. Clerodendrum colebrookianum belonging to the family Verbenaceae.1 It is widely distributed throughout India in the Sikkim, North Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram. The Juice of leaves is used alternative to destroy threadworms. The paste from warmed leaves is massaged in rheumatism and the leafy vegetable is regarded as anthelmintic. It has been used as a folk medicine in china for expelling toxin by cooling, cooling blood to induce diuresis and purging heat.2 Secondary metabolites such as sterols, saponin, tannin, terpenoid, ceryl alcohol and flavanoids have been isolated from Clerodendrum colebrookianum.3-5 It has come to our attention that the rural people of India use the Juice of the plant for the relief of fever. Based on the traditional use of the plant as an antipyretic agent, the present study was carried out in an experimental animal model to substantiate the folklore claim.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Collection of Plant Material:

The plant was collected from Arvind Herbal Lab, Rajapalayam, Tamilnadu. The authentication of the plant was established by Dr. Stefen, Dept. of Botany, The American College, Madurai, Tamilanadu. The whole plants were dried under controlled temperature (shade) and stored in a closed vessel for further use.

 

 


PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND SCREENING OF CLERODENDRUM COLEBROOKIANUM

Table 1: Effect of extract of Clerodendrum colebrookianum on normal body temperature

Treatment

mg/Kg body Wt.

Rectal Temperature (°C) before and after treatment

0 hr

1 hr

2 hr

3 hr

4 hr

5 hr

Control (Normal Saline)

37.0 ± 0.2

37.3 ± 0.1

37.3 ± 0.2

37.4 ± 0.3

37.2 ± 0.1

37.4 ± 0.2

HECC 100

37.2 ± 0.1

36.8 ± 0.3

36.7 ± 0.2

36.6 ± 0.3

36.9 ± 0.2

37.0 ± 0.2

HECC 300

37.3 ± 0.1

36.6 ± 0.2

36.4 ± 0.3

36.3 ± 0.2

36.1 ± 0.1

36.7 ± 0.1

HECC 500

37.3 ± 0.2

36.2 ± 0.3

35.9 ± 0.2

35.7 ± 0.2

35.6 ± 0.1

36.0 ± 0.1

MECC 100

37.4 ± 0.1

37.0 ± 0.1

35.7 ± 0.2

35.5 ± 0.1

36.7 ± 0.3

36.7 ± 0.2

MECC 300

37.2 ± 0.1

36.4 ± 0.2

36.3 ± 0.1

36.2 ± 0.2

36.1 ± 0.1

36.6 ± 0.1

MECC 500

37.1 ± 0.1

36.9 ± 0.2

36.7 ± 0.3

36.6 ± 0.1

36.6 ± 0.2

37.0 ± 0.1

Values expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 6 in each group.

 

 

Table 2: Anti-pyretic activity of Clerodendrum colebrookianum

Treatment

mg/Kg body Wt.

Rectal Temperature (°C) after Yeast injection at

0 hr

17 hr

18 hr

19 hr

20 hr

21 hr

Control (Normal Saline)

37.5 ± 0.02

39.5 ± 0.01

39.4 ± 0.02

39.2 ± 0.03

39.0 ± 0.01

39.4 ± 0.02

Paracetamol 150

37.6 ± 0.03

39.5 ± 0.02

38.4 ± 0.01

38.1 ± 0.01

37.7 ± 0.02

37.6 ± 0.01

HECC 100

37.3 ± 0.01

39.5 ± 0.01

39.3 ± 0.03

38.7 ± 0.02

38.4 ± 0.01

37.8 ± 0.01

HECC 300

37.5 ± 0.03

39.6 ± 0.02

38.7 ± 0.02

38.3 ± 0.01

37.8 ± 0.02

37.0 ± 0.03

HECC 500

37.7 ± 0.02

39.6 ± 0.01

38.8 ± 0.03

37.8 ± 0.02

37.4 ± 0.03

37.4 ± 0.01

MECC 100

37.6 ± 0.01

39.6 ± 0.02

39.3 ± 0.03

38.5 ± 0.02

37.9 ± 0.03

34.4 ± 0.02

MECC 300

37.5 ± 0.02

39.6 ± 0.01

37.7 ± 0.02

37.4 ± 0.01

36.9 ± 0.02

33.9 ± 0.01

MECC 500

37.4 ± 0.01

39.7 ± 0.03

37.5 ± 0.01

36.8 ± 0.01

35.9 ± 0.02

33.9 ± 0.01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Values expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 6 in each group

 

 


Preparation of Extracts:

The dried and pulverized plant material (1000gm) was subjected to hot continuous extraction with hexane (63 – 700C) and methanol (950C) as solvents respectively in a soxhlet extractor. After each extraction, the solvent was removed in vacuo in a rotary evaporator to provide dry extracts. The dried mass was kept in a refrigerator and was used, as and when required for the experiment. The percentage extractive values of hexane and methanolic extracts was found to be 8.58% and 5.2% respectively. The extracts were subjected to preliminary qualitative tests in order to identify the various phytoconstituents present in plants.6 From preliminary phytochemical screening, both the extracts showed the presence of steroids, flavanoids, triterpenoids, phenols and coumarins which were further confirmed by thin-layer chromatography study.

 

Animals:

Adult albino rats (wistar strain) of either sex weighing 180 - 200 g were used. The animals were maintained under suitable nutritional and environmental conditions through out the experiment. The animals were maintained under standard laboratory condition for an acclimatization period of seven days prior to performing the experiment.

 

Study on normal body temperature:

Rats of either sex were divided into seven groups comprising six in each group for this experiment. The body temperature of each rat was measured rectally at predetermined intervals before and for 5 hours after administration of either 2% aqueous tragacanth solution (control) or HECC and MECC at doses of 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg body weight orally.

 

Induction of yeast induced pyrexia:

Rats were divided into eight groups of six rats each. The normal body temperature of each rat was measured rectally at predetermined intervals and recorded.7 Fever was induced as per the method described.8 The rats were trained to remain quiet in a restraint cage. A thermister probe was inserted 3-4cm deep into the rectum and fastened to the tail by adhesive tape. The temperature was measured on a thermometer. After measuring the basal rectal temperature, animals were given a subcutaneous injection of 10ml/kg body wt of 15% w/v yeast suspended in 0.5% w/v methyl cellulose solution. Rats were then returned to their housing cages. After 17 hours of yeast injection, the animals were again restrained in individual cages for the recording of their rectal temperatures as described previously.

 

Drug administration:

After 17 hours of yeast injection, the HECC and MECC were administered orally at doses of 100, 300 and 500 mg / kg body wt. to six groups of animals respectively. A similar volume (5ml/kg body wt) of 2% aqueous tragacanth solution was administered orally to the control group of animals. The eighth group of animals received the standard drug paracetamol (150mg/kg body wt.) orally. Rats were restrained for recording of their rectal temperatures at the seventeenth hour, immediately before HECC or MECC or paracetamol administration and again at one hour's interval up to twenty - first hour after yeast injection.

 

Statistical Analysis:

Data was expressed as mean ± standard error means. Statistical analysis was made by using Kruskal Wallis (non - parametric) Anova test at different time intervals.9-11

 

RESULTS:

Effect of the HECC and MECC on normal body temperature in rats was presented in    Table 1. It was found that the HECC and MECC at doses of 100 mg / kg body wt. caused significant lowering of body temperature up to 4 hours following its administration. This effect was maximal at doses of 300 and 500 mg/kg body wt. in a dose dependent manner and it caused significant lowering of body temperature upto 5 hours after its administration. The subcutaneous injection of yeast suspension markedly elevated the rectal temperature after 17 hours of administration. Treatment with HECC and MECC at doses of 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg body wt decreased the rectal temperature of the rats in a dose dependent manner. The antipyretic effect started as early as 1 hour, and the effect was maintained for 4 hours, after its administration. The standard drug paracetamol at 150 mg/kg body wt. dose significantly reduced the yeast provoked elevation of body temperature. The results obtained from the standard drug treated and HECC, MECC treated rats were compared with the control (2% aqueous tragacanth solution) group and we observed a significant reduction in the yeast - elevated rectal temperature (Table 2).

 

DISCUSSION:

Fever may be a result of infection or one of the sequelae of tissue damage, inflammation, graft rejection or other disease states. Antipyretics are drugs which reduce elevated body temperature. Regulation of body temperature requires a delicate balance between the production and loss of heat, and the hypothalamus regulates the set point at which body temperature is maintained. In fever this set point is elevated and drugs like paracetamol do not influence body temperature when it is elevated by factors such as exercise or increases in ambient temperature.12 The present results shows that the HECC and MECC possesses a significant antipyretic effect in yeast provoked elevation of body temperature in rats, and its effect is comparable to that of standard drug paracetamol. Furthermore, the HECC and MECC also significantly reduced the normal body temperature, and this is to be studied further for the exact mechanism of action.

 

CONCLUSION:

The antipyretic activity of Clerodendrum colebrookianum supports its use in the traditional medicine to reduce fever but further studies are needed to elucidate the exact mechanism by which Clerodendrum colebrookianum plant extract exerts the antipyretic effect.

 

REFRENCES:

1.       Sharma SK, Govil JN, Singh VK. Recent Progress in Medicinal Plants. Vol. 10, USA: Studium Press; 2005. P.82.

2.       T.Pullaiah, Encyclopaedia of World Medicinal Plants; P.593.

3.       Gupta RK, Chandra S, Mahadevan V. Indian J Pharmacy 1967; 29: 102.

4.       Subramanian SS, Nair AGR. J Indian Chem Soc 1972; 49: 1069.

5.       Harborne JB. Phytochemical methods: A guide to modern techniques of plant analysis. London: Chapman and Hall; 1998. P. 78-79.

6.       Trease GE, Evans WC. Text Book of Pharmacognosy. 12th Edn, London: Balliere Tindall; 1985. P. 344, 505.

7.       Murugesan T, Mandal SC, Bhakta T, Das T, Pal M, Saha B.P., Phytomedicine 2000; 7(3) : 231.

8.       Smith PK, Hambourger WE. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1935; 54: 346.

9.       Kulkarni SK. Hand Book of Experimental Pharmacology. 2nd Edn, New Delhi: Vallabh Prakashan Publication; 1993, P. 83.

10.    Bolton S, Bon C. Pharmaceutical Statistics. 4th Edn, Blacksburg: Marcel Dekker Publication; 2004, P. 437.

11.    Sundar Rao PSS, Richard J. An Introduction to Biostatistics. 3rd Edn. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd; 1997, P. 111.

12.    Goodman, Gilman. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 9th Edn, New Delhi: Mc Graw Hill; 1996, P. 959-975.

 

 

Received on 01.09.2009

Accepted on 10.10.2009     

© A&V Publication all right reserved

Research Journal of Pharmacognosy  and Phytochemistry. 1(3): Nov. – Dec. 2009, 191-193