Investigation of analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of ethanol extract from Muntingia calabura stem bark

Sumanta Mondal, Mohana Vamsi Y, Padilam Suresh*

GITAM Institute of Pharmacy, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.

*Corresponding author:

Dr. P. Suresh, Principal & Dean, Principal & Dean, GITAM Institute of Pharmacy, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam- 530045.

E-mail: principal_pharmacy@gitam.edu, Tel: +91 9290707462.

ABSTRACT

Muntingia calabura L. (Family: Elaeocarpaceae) is commonly known as Jamaican cherry, Panama berry or Singapore cherry. It is a very fast-growing tree and wildly distribute throughout the world. Present study was carried out for evaluation of ethanol extract of
M. calabura (EEMC) stem bark at dose of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o., for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity. EEMC was screened for analgesic activity by writhing, tail immersion and hot plate method in mice. The anti-inflammatory activity by acute carrageenan induced paw oedema in rats. The antipyretic activity was evaluated using Brewer’s yeast induced pyrexia in rabbits. Acute toxicity in mice was found to be higher than 2000 mg/kg., p.o. Ethanol extract of M. calabura stem barks showed a significant peripheral and centrally acting analgesic or antinociceptive effect in dose dependent manner in various tested models. Anti-inflammatory studies at 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg., p.o., of extract showed significant activity. The extract also possesses significant decrease in yeast-induced fever at dose of 500 mg/kg, p.o. This result seems to support the view that the extract has some influence on prostaglandin biosynthesis because prostaglandin is believed to be regulator of body temperature. Preliminary phytochemical tests revealed presence of saponins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, sterols, terpinoids, tannins and phenolic compounds in the ethanol extract of M. calabura stem bark. The present study demonstrated that ethanol extract obtained from stem bark of Muntingia calabura L., exhibited significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties in the different tested experimental animal models.

Keywords: Muntingia calabura , ethanol, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic.