PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDY, ACUTE DRUG TOXICITY AND ANTI-DIARRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF WHOLE PLANT OF AINSLIAEA APTERA

Abstract

The present study deals with the investigation of the Phytochemical screening and Acute drug toxicity and Anti Diarrhoeal activity of Ethanolic
extract of whole plant of Ainsliaea aptera (EEAA). The genus Ainsliaea is a medicinal herb that belongs to the family of be Asteraceae (Compositae).
This Genus has been used as a folk medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, traumatic injuries, edema, and stomachache so far, several
sesquiterpenes, triterpenes and flavonoids, have been isolated from this genus. The genus Ainsliaea Dc. is distributed in South East Asia ranging from
Afghanistan to Japan. The present study deals with the investigation of the Phytochemical screening, Acute drug toxicity and Anti Diarrhoeal activity
of Ethanolic Extract of Whole Plant of Ainsliaea aptera (EEAA). Preliminary Phytochemical screening done for the presence of carbohydrate,
protein, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, phytosterol, and saponins were carried out using standard test procedures. The procedure was
followed as per OECD423 guidelines for acute drug toxicity. The methods used for evaluating the Anti-Diarrhoeal activity were castor-oil induced
diarrhoea model in rats and charcoal meal test/intestinal motility test in mice at dose 800 mg/kg, p.o. in rats and the corresponding doses in mice. The
parameters observed were the onset of defecation, cumulative faecal weight in the castor oil induced diarrhoea model and the distance travelled by
charcoal in the intestinal motility test. Preliminary Phytochemical results showed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, Triterpenoid, Flavonoids,
Phytosterols, Tannins and Saponins and absences of Alkaloids and Glycoside in the drug. Test substance related mortality was not observed at 2000
mg/kg which revealed the nontoxic nature of EEAA. This finding probably suggests that the ethanol extract is relatively safe or non-toxic in rat/mice
at the doses used for this study. Study showed non-significant effects on both, first defecation time and cumulative fecal weight at the dose of 800
mg/kg in the castor oil induced Diarrhoea model. Similarly, a non-significant reduction in the distance travelled by charcoal was found at the dose of
800 mg/kg in the charcoal meal test. There was no significant effect of EEAA at dose 800mg/kg in castor oil induced diarrhoea and the plant show no
significant effect on intestine motility in intestinal motility test. The Ethanolic Extract of Whole Plant of Ainsliaea Aptera (EEAA). The Present study
showed non-significant Anti-Diarrhoeal, non-significant Anti-Motility Activities at dose 800 mg/kg. The present study showed the presence of
carbohydrates, proteins, Triterpenoid, Flavonoids, Phytosterols, Tannins and Saponins and absences of Alkaloids and Glycoside in the drug. Test
substance related mortality was not observed at 2000 mg/kg which revealed the nontoxic nature of EEAA