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Evaluation of antipyretic activity of leaf extracts of Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell. Arg. var acuminatus: A folk medicine
Phytomedicine 9: 727–730, 2002 © Urban & Fischer Verlag http://www.urbanfischer.de/journals/phytomed
Phytomedicine
Evaluation of antipyretic activity of leaf extracts of Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell. Arg. var acuminatus: A folk medicine D. Chattopadhyay1, G. Arunachalam1, A. B. Mandal2, and S. C. Mandal3 1
ICMR Virus Unit Calcutta, Infectious Diseases & Beliaghata General Hospital, Kolkata, India Biotechnology Laboratory, Central Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, A & N Islands, India 3 Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India 2
Summary A study was carried out to evaluate the anti-pyretic potential of the methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell. Arg. var acuminatus leaf, a folk medicine of Onge tribes of Bay Islands, on normal body temperature and yeast-induced pyrexia in Wister albino rats. The leaf extract at oral doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg kg1, p.o., showed significant reduction in normal body temperature and yeast-provoked elevated temperature in a dosedependent manner and the anti-pyretic effect was comparable to that of standard antipyretic agent paracetamol (150 mg kg–1, p.o.). The effect also extended up to 5 hours after the drug administration. Key words: Mallotus peltatus, antipyretic activity, yeast-induced pyrexia model.
j Introduction Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell. Arg. var acuminatus (Euphorbiaceae) locally known as Pataque and Obottacke by Onge and Kamala by local people, is a panatropical shrub endemic to the inland forests of Chidiyatappu, Baratang Jarawa Creek, and Interview Islands of Andamans. The plant is a shrub of ± 5 M height with reddish brown alternate leaves. Leaves are 3–8 inches long, ovate to oblong, acuminate, glossy green above and pale below, petiole with pubescent mid-rib. Ethnobotanical studies indicate that the decoctions of Mallotus peltatus leaves is widely used among the tribal populations of Bay Islands, India, to treat stomachache (Dagar and Dagar, 1991), intestinal ailments and skin infections (Bhargava, 1983). Alcoholic extract of leaves is reported to have antitrematodic activity (Asolkar et al., 1992). We have recently reported the antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract (Chattopadhyay et al., 2002).
Although the plant is used by the tribals for remission of fever (Authors personal experience with the Onge tribes), there is no report regarding the antipyretic activity of this plant. Therefore, the present study, for the first time, aims to evaluate the antipyretic potential, if any, of the methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus leaf.
j Materials and Methods Plant material
The leaves of Mallotus peltatus were collected from the tropical rain forests of Middle and South Andamans, India, during April, June and October 1999 and February, August and November 2000. The voucher specimens have been identified and deposited at the Herbarium Section of the Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Circle, Port Blair, India. 0944-7113/02/09/08-727 $ 15.00/0
728
D. Chattopadhyay et al.
Preparation of Extract
Coarsely powdered dry leaves (1 kg) were successively extracted in cold with 95% methanol for 72 h at room temperature. The whole extract was filtered and the solvent were evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure in a Eyela Rotary Evaporator (Japan) at 40–45 °C. The percentage yield (w/w) of the prepared extract was 8.7 ± 0.21. The concentrated leaf extracts (≈ 40 gm) were then partitioned between n-butanol and H2O in 3:1 ratio while the aqueous portion was lyophilized to dryness (~32 gm) and the solvent of nbutanol part was removed under reduced pressure. The preliminary phytochemical test of leaf extract was done by the method of Pollock and Stevens (1965). The extract was stored in a dessicator, and dissolved in propylene glycol (2 gm of extract in 10 ml to make a stock solution of 200 mg ml–1) for this study. Animal used
Adults albino rats of either sex weighing 180–200 g each were used. The animals were housed in standard metal cages at room temperature and provided with standard diet and water ad libitum. Study on normal body temperature
Rats of either sex were divided into four groups, comprising six in each group, for this experiment. The body
temperature of each rat was measured rectally at predetermined time intervals before and for 5h after the administration of either 5 ml kg–1 propylene glycol (vehicle control) or Mallotus peltatus leaf extract at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 orally. Induction of fever by Yeast-induced pyrexia
Yeast induced pyrexia model was used to evaluate the antipyretic activity of the extract. The rats were divided into five groups with six animals in each group. The body temperature of each rat was recorded by measuring rectal temperature at predetermined time intervals. Fever was induced as per the method described by Murugesan et al. (2000). In brief, the rats were trained to remain quiet in a restraint cage. A thermister probe was inserted 3–4 cm deep into the rectum and the tail was fastened. After measuring the basal rectal temperature by a thermometer, animals were given a subcutaneous injection of 10 ml kg–1 of 15% w/v yeast suspended in 0.5% w/v methylcellulose solution and the animals were returned to their housing cages. After 19h of yeast injection, the rats were again restrained in individual cages to record their rectal temperature. The methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract was administered orally at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 to three groups of animals respectively, while fourth group received 5 ml kg–1 of propylene glycol as vehicle
Table 1. Effect of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on normal body temperature in rats. Treatment (mg kg–1 ) Rectal temperature (°C) before and after treatment ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 0h 1h 2h 3h 4h 5h Control 5 ml kg–1 MPL 100 MPL 200 MPL 300
36.5 ± 0.08 36.9 ± 0.04 36.0 ± 0.07 36.2 ± 0.08
36.6 ± 0.07 36.8 ± 0.05** 35.9 ± 0.06* 36.0 ± 0.08*
36.4 ± 0.03 36.3 ± 0.04** 35.3 ± 0.07 * 35.3 ± 0.09*
36.4 ± 0.08 36.2 ± 0.08 *** 35.2 ± 0.08* 35.1 ± 0.06*
36.5 ± 0.07 36.5 ± 0.08*** 35.3 ± 0.07* 35.3 ± 0.06 *
36.4 ± 0.05 36.8 ± 0.07*** 35.4 ± 0.07 * 35.5 ± 0.06*
Each value represents mean ± SE of 6 rats. Control = propylene glycol *p < 0.001, ** p < 0.05, ***p < 0.01 as compared to the control values of corresponding hour. MPL, Mallotus peltata leaf extract. Table 2. Effect of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. Drug treatment (mg kg–1)
Rectal temperature (oC) before and after yeast injection at –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 0h 19 h 20 h 21 h 22 h 23 h
Propylene glycol 5 ml kg–1 Paracetamol 150 MPL 100 MPL 200 MPL 300
37.3 ± 0.03 37.3 ± 0.01 37.3 ± 0.02 37.3 ± 0.02 37.3 ± 0.04
39.6 ± 0.03 39.6 ± 0.04 39.6 ± 0.01 39.6 ± 0.03 39.6 ± 0.01
39.6 ± 0.02 38.3 ± 0.01 38.7 ± 0.07 38.8 ± 0.04 38.6 ± 0.04
39.5 ± 0.01 38.3 ± 0.02 38.3 ± 0.02 38.3 ± 0.06 38.2 ± 0.03
39.5 ± 0.01 37.7 ± 0.01 38.2 ± 0.03 38.2 ± 0.04 38.0 ± 0.01
Each value represents mean ± SE of 6 rats. Control = propylene glycol p < 0.001 as compared to the control values of corresponding hour. MPL, Mallotus peltata leaf extract.
39.5 ± 0.02 37.6 ± 0.02 37.9 ± 0.01 37.4 ± 0.09 37.2 ± 0.05
Evaluation of antipyretic activity of leaf extracts of Mallotus peltatus control and the fifth group was administered with 150 mg kg–1 of paracetamol as drug control. Rectal temperature of all the rats was recorded at 19 h, immediately before extract or vehicle or paracetamol administration, and again at 1 h interval upto 23 h, after yeast injection. Statistical analysis
The data were analyzed for statistical significance, using the unpaired two-tailed student’s t-test (Woodson, 1987).
j Results and Discussion Effect of the Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on normal body temperature in rats is presented in Table 1. It was found that the leaf extract at doses of 100 mg kg–1 caused significant lowering of the body temperature up to 3 h (p < 0.01) following extract administration. This effect was maximal at doses of 200 and 300 mg kg–1 in a dose-dependent manner causing significant lowering of body temperature up to 5 h after extract administration. The antipyretic effect of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on yeast induced pyrexia is shown in Table 2. It was found that the subcutaneous injection of 10 ml kg–1 of 15% w/v of yeast suspension markedly elevated the rectal temperature after 19 h of administration (39.6 °C) and treatment with Mallotus peltatus leaf extract (100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 doses) decreased the rectal temperature. The significant finding is the decreases of rectal temperature of the treated rats in a dose-dependent manner by Mallotus peltatus leaf extract. The results obtained from both, the standard drug paracetamol (150 mg kg–1) and Mallotus peltatus leaf extract (100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1) treated groups, were compared with the control (5 ml kg–1 propylene glycol) group. It is also evident that the anti-pyretic effect was started within 1 h of extract administration (as the body temperature of 39.6 °C reduced to 38.7 °C) and maintained for 4 h (37.9 °C) after the administration of the extract (Table 2). The phytochemical tests indicated the presence of tannins, saponins, triterpenoids, flavonoids, sterols and sugars. Fever may be a result of infection or one of the sequelae of tissue damage, inflammation, graft rejection, or other disease states. Anti-pyretics 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 drug like paracetamol do not influence body temperature when it is elevated by factors like exercise or increase in ambient temperature (Goodman and Gilman, 1996). The
729
present results show that the methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus leaf at 100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 doses possesses a significant anti-pyretic effect, in yeast-provoked elevation of body temperature (39.6 °C) in rats as the temperature was reduced to 37.9 °C, 37.4 °C and 37.2 °C respectively, and this effect is comparable to that of the standard anti-pyretic drug paracetamol which at 150 mg kg–1 reduced the temperature to 37.6 °C. Earlier study revealed that Mallotus peltatus leaf extract contain β-sitosterol as one of the major compound (Chattopadhyay et al., 2002) and β-sitosterol is reported to have significant antipyretic activity (Gupta et al., 1996). Hence the antipyretic activity of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract studied by us may be due to the presence of β-sitosterol. Furthermore, the Mallotus peltatus leaf extract also significantly reduced the normal body temperature of the animals tested, and to know the exact mechanism of action of the extract further study is required. Acknowledgements
The Authors are grateful to the DBT, New Delhi, for financial assistance to G. Arunachalam through the project Grant No. BT/PRO 237/OSC 17/005/96. We owe our thanks to the Officer In-Charge and Dr. Sreekumar, Senior Scientist, Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Circle, Port Blair for identification of the plant; Mr. Aloke Mallick and Mr. Prabal K. Roy of ICMR Virus Unit, Kolkata for technical assistance. We express our gratitude to Dr. S. K. Bhattacharya, Director, National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases (NICED) and the Officer In-Charge, ICMR Virus Unit, Kolkata and Dr. T. N. Nayek, Senior Deputy Director, NICED, Kolkata for their constant encouragement, help and suggestions.
j References Ambasta SP (1992) In: The Useful Plants of India, Publications & Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, pp. 31–32 Asolkar LV, Kakkar KK, Chakre OJ (1992) In: Second supplement to Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants with active principles, Publications & Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, Part 1, pp 51–52 Bhargava N (1983) Ethnobotanical studies of the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. I. Onge. Econ Bot 37: 110–119 Chakraborty T, Vasudeva Rao MK (1988) Ethnobotanical studies of the Shompen of Great Nicobar Islands. J Econ Taxon Bot 12(1): 43–54 Chattopadhyay D, Maiti K, Kundu AP, Chakrabarty MS, Bhadra R, Mandal SC, Mandal AB (2001) Antimicrobial activity of Alstonia macrophylla: A folklore of Bay Islands. J Ethnopharmacol 71(1): 49–55 Chattopadhyay D, Arunachalam G, Mandal AB, Sur TK, Mandal SC, Bhattacharya SK (2002) Antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity of folklore Mallotus peltatus: Leaf extract. J Ethnopharmacol 82(2–3): 229–237
730
D. Chattopadhyay et al.
Dagar HS, Dagar JC (1991) Plant folk medicines among Nicobarese of Katchal Island, India. Econ Bot 45 (I), 114–119 Goodman and Gilman (1996) In: The pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th edn, McGraw-Hill, Professions division, New York, pp. 959–975 Gupta MB, Nath R, Srivastava N, Shanker K, Kishor K, Bhargava KP (1996) Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of β-sitosterol. International Journal of Immunopharmacology 18: 693–700 Murugesan T, Mandal Subhash C, Bhakta T, Das J, Pal M, Saha BP (2000) Evaluation of anti-pyretic potential of Jussiaea suffrutucosa Linn. Extract in rats. Phytomedicine 7: 231–234 Pollock JRA, Stevens R (editors) Dictionary of Organic Compounds, vol. 5, 4th ed. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1965
Woodson RF (1987) In: Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Biomedical data, Wiley series in Probability and Mathematical Statistics, Wiley, New York, pp. 315–316
j Address D. Chattopadhyay. , M. Sc., Ph.D. Fellow BSAC (England), Senior Research Officer ICMR Virus Unit Calcutta, Infectious Diseases & Beliaghata General Hospital, GB 4, 1st Floor, 57, Dr. S.C. Banerjee Road, Kolkata 700 010, India Tel.: ++91-33-353-7425; Fax: ++91-33-353-7424; e-Mail: [email protected]
Phytomedicine
Evaluation of antipyretic activity of leaf extracts of Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell. Arg. var acuminatus: A folk medicine D. Chattopadhyay1, G. Arunachalam1, A. B. Mandal2, and S. C. Mandal3 1
ICMR Virus Unit Calcutta, Infectious Diseases & Beliaghata General Hospital, Kolkata, India Biotechnology Laboratory, Central Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, A & N Islands, India 3 Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India 2
Summary A study was carried out to evaluate the anti-pyretic potential of the methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell. Arg. var acuminatus leaf, a folk medicine of Onge tribes of Bay Islands, on normal body temperature and yeast-induced pyrexia in Wister albino rats. The leaf extract at oral doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg kg1, p.o., showed significant reduction in normal body temperature and yeast-provoked elevated temperature in a dosedependent manner and the anti-pyretic effect was comparable to that of standard antipyretic agent paracetamol (150 mg kg–1, p.o.). The effect also extended up to 5 hours after the drug administration. Key words: Mallotus peltatus, antipyretic activity, yeast-induced pyrexia model.
j Introduction Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell. Arg. var acuminatus (Euphorbiaceae) locally known as Pataque and Obottacke by Onge and Kamala by local people, is a panatropical shrub endemic to the inland forests of Chidiyatappu, Baratang Jarawa Creek, and Interview Islands of Andamans. The plant is a shrub of ± 5 M height with reddish brown alternate leaves. Leaves are 3–8 inches long, ovate to oblong, acuminate, glossy green above and pale below, petiole with pubescent mid-rib. Ethnobotanical studies indicate that the decoctions of Mallotus peltatus leaves is widely used among the tribal populations of Bay Islands, India, to treat stomachache (Dagar and Dagar, 1991), intestinal ailments and skin infections (Bhargava, 1983). Alcoholic extract of leaves is reported to have antitrematodic activity (Asolkar et al., 1992). We have recently reported the antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract (Chattopadhyay et al., 2002).
Although the plant is used by the tribals for remission of fever (Authors personal experience with the Onge tribes), there is no report regarding the antipyretic activity of this plant. Therefore, the present study, for the first time, aims to evaluate the antipyretic potential, if any, of the methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus leaf.
j Materials and Methods Plant material
The leaves of Mallotus peltatus were collected from the tropical rain forests of Middle and South Andamans, India, during April, June and October 1999 and February, August and November 2000. The voucher specimens have been identified and deposited at the Herbarium Section of the Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Circle, Port Blair, India. 0944-7113/02/09/08-727 $ 15.00/0
728
D. Chattopadhyay et al.
Preparation of Extract
Coarsely powdered dry leaves (1 kg) were successively extracted in cold with 95% methanol for 72 h at room temperature. The whole extract was filtered and the solvent were evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure in a Eyela Rotary Evaporator (Japan) at 40–45 °C. The percentage yield (w/w) of the prepared extract was 8.7 ± 0.21. The concentrated leaf extracts (≈ 40 gm) were then partitioned between n-butanol and H2O in 3:1 ratio while the aqueous portion was lyophilized to dryness (~32 gm) and the solvent of nbutanol part was removed under reduced pressure. The preliminary phytochemical test of leaf extract was done by the method of Pollock and Stevens (1965). The extract was stored in a dessicator, and dissolved in propylene glycol (2 gm of extract in 10 ml to make a stock solution of 200 mg ml–1) for this study. Animal used
Adults albino rats of either sex weighing 180–200 g each were used. The animals were housed in standard metal cages at room temperature and provided with standard diet and water ad libitum. Study on normal body temperature
Rats of either sex were divided into four groups, comprising six in each group, for this experiment. The body
temperature of each rat was measured rectally at predetermined time intervals before and for 5h after the administration of either 5 ml kg–1 propylene glycol (vehicle control) or Mallotus peltatus leaf extract at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 orally. Induction of fever by Yeast-induced pyrexia
Yeast induced pyrexia model was used to evaluate the antipyretic activity of the extract. The rats were divided into five groups with six animals in each group. The body temperature of each rat was recorded by measuring rectal temperature at predetermined time intervals. Fever was induced as per the method described by Murugesan et al. (2000). In brief, the rats were trained to remain quiet in a restraint cage. A thermister probe was inserted 3–4 cm deep into the rectum and the tail was fastened. After measuring the basal rectal temperature by a thermometer, animals were given a subcutaneous injection of 10 ml kg–1 of 15% w/v yeast suspended in 0.5% w/v methylcellulose solution and the animals were returned to their housing cages. After 19h of yeast injection, the rats were again restrained in individual cages to record their rectal temperature. The methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract was administered orally at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 to three groups of animals respectively, while fourth group received 5 ml kg–1 of propylene glycol as vehicle
Table 1. Effect of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on normal body temperature in rats. Treatment (mg kg–1 ) Rectal temperature (°C) before and after treatment ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 0h 1h 2h 3h 4h 5h Control 5 ml kg–1 MPL 100 MPL 200 MPL 300
36.5 ± 0.08 36.9 ± 0.04 36.0 ± 0.07 36.2 ± 0.08
36.6 ± 0.07 36.8 ± 0.05** 35.9 ± 0.06* 36.0 ± 0.08*
36.4 ± 0.03 36.3 ± 0.04** 35.3 ± 0.07 * 35.3 ± 0.09*
36.4 ± 0.08 36.2 ± 0.08 *** 35.2 ± 0.08* 35.1 ± 0.06*
36.5 ± 0.07 36.5 ± 0.08*** 35.3 ± 0.07* 35.3 ± 0.06 *
36.4 ± 0.05 36.8 ± 0.07*** 35.4 ± 0.07 * 35.5 ± 0.06*
Each value represents mean ± SE of 6 rats. Control = propylene glycol *p < 0.001, ** p < 0.05, ***p < 0.01 as compared to the control values of corresponding hour. MPL, Mallotus peltata leaf extract. Table 2. Effect of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. Drug treatment (mg kg–1)
Rectal temperature (oC) before and after yeast injection at –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 0h 19 h 20 h 21 h 22 h 23 h
Propylene glycol 5 ml kg–1 Paracetamol 150 MPL 100 MPL 200 MPL 300
37.3 ± 0.03 37.3 ± 0.01 37.3 ± 0.02 37.3 ± 0.02 37.3 ± 0.04
39.6 ± 0.03 39.6 ± 0.04 39.6 ± 0.01 39.6 ± 0.03 39.6 ± 0.01
39.6 ± 0.02 38.3 ± 0.01 38.7 ± 0.07 38.8 ± 0.04 38.6 ± 0.04
39.5 ± 0.01 38.3 ± 0.02 38.3 ± 0.02 38.3 ± 0.06 38.2 ± 0.03
39.5 ± 0.01 37.7 ± 0.01 38.2 ± 0.03 38.2 ± 0.04 38.0 ± 0.01
Each value represents mean ± SE of 6 rats. Control = propylene glycol p < 0.001 as compared to the control values of corresponding hour. MPL, Mallotus peltata leaf extract.
39.5 ± 0.02 37.6 ± 0.02 37.9 ± 0.01 37.4 ± 0.09 37.2 ± 0.05
Evaluation of antipyretic activity of leaf extracts of Mallotus peltatus control and the fifth group was administered with 150 mg kg–1 of paracetamol as drug control. Rectal temperature of all the rats was recorded at 19 h, immediately before extract or vehicle or paracetamol administration, and again at 1 h interval upto 23 h, after yeast injection. Statistical analysis
The data were analyzed for statistical significance, using the unpaired two-tailed student’s t-test (Woodson, 1987).
j Results and Discussion Effect of the Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on normal body temperature in rats is presented in Table 1. It was found that the leaf extract at doses of 100 mg kg–1 caused significant lowering of the body temperature up to 3 h (p < 0.01) following extract administration. This effect was maximal at doses of 200 and 300 mg kg–1 in a dose-dependent manner causing significant lowering of body temperature up to 5 h after extract administration. The antipyretic effect of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract on yeast induced pyrexia is shown in Table 2. It was found that the subcutaneous injection of 10 ml kg–1 of 15% w/v of yeast suspension markedly elevated the rectal temperature after 19 h of administration (39.6 °C) and treatment with Mallotus peltatus leaf extract (100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 doses) decreased the rectal temperature. The significant finding is the decreases of rectal temperature of the treated rats in a dose-dependent manner by Mallotus peltatus leaf extract. The results obtained from both, the standard drug paracetamol (150 mg kg–1) and Mallotus peltatus leaf extract (100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1) treated groups, were compared with the control (5 ml kg–1 propylene glycol) group. It is also evident that the anti-pyretic effect was started within 1 h of extract administration (as the body temperature of 39.6 °C reduced to 38.7 °C) and maintained for 4 h (37.9 °C) after the administration of the extract (Table 2). The phytochemical tests indicated the presence of tannins, saponins, triterpenoids, flavonoids, sterols and sugars. Fever may be a result of infection or one of the sequelae of tissue damage, inflammation, graft rejection, or other disease states. Anti-pyretics 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 drug like paracetamol do not influence body temperature when it is elevated by factors like exercise or increase in ambient temperature (Goodman and Gilman, 1996). The
729
present results show that the methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus leaf at 100, 200 and 300 mg kg–1 doses possesses a significant anti-pyretic effect, in yeast-provoked elevation of body temperature (39.6 °C) in rats as the temperature was reduced to 37.9 °C, 37.4 °C and 37.2 °C respectively, and this effect is comparable to that of the standard anti-pyretic drug paracetamol which at 150 mg kg–1 reduced the temperature to 37.6 °C. Earlier study revealed that Mallotus peltatus leaf extract contain β-sitosterol as one of the major compound (Chattopadhyay et al., 2002) and β-sitosterol is reported to have significant antipyretic activity (Gupta et al., 1996). Hence the antipyretic activity of Mallotus peltatus leaf extract studied by us may be due to the presence of β-sitosterol. Furthermore, the Mallotus peltatus leaf extract also significantly reduced the normal body temperature of the animals tested, and to know the exact mechanism of action of the extract further study is required. Acknowledgements
The Authors are grateful to the DBT, New Delhi, for financial assistance to G. Arunachalam through the project Grant No. BT/PRO 237/OSC 17/005/96. We owe our thanks to the Officer In-Charge and Dr. Sreekumar, Senior Scientist, Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Circle, Port Blair for identification of the plant; Mr. Aloke Mallick and Mr. Prabal K. Roy of ICMR Virus Unit, Kolkata for technical assistance. We express our gratitude to Dr. S. K. Bhattacharya, Director, National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases (NICED) and the Officer In-Charge, ICMR Virus Unit, Kolkata and Dr. T. N. Nayek, Senior Deputy Director, NICED, Kolkata for their constant encouragement, help and suggestions.
j References Ambasta SP (1992) In: The Useful Plants of India, Publications & Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, pp. 31–32 Asolkar LV, Kakkar KK, Chakre OJ (1992) In: Second supplement to Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants with active principles, Publications & Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, Part 1, pp 51–52 Bhargava N (1983) Ethnobotanical studies of the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. I. Onge. Econ Bot 37: 110–119 Chakraborty T, Vasudeva Rao MK (1988) Ethnobotanical studies of the Shompen of Great Nicobar Islands. J Econ Taxon Bot 12(1): 43–54 Chattopadhyay D, Maiti K, Kundu AP, Chakrabarty MS, Bhadra R, Mandal SC, Mandal AB (2001) Antimicrobial activity of Alstonia macrophylla: A folklore of Bay Islands. J Ethnopharmacol 71(1): 49–55 Chattopadhyay D, Arunachalam G, Mandal AB, Sur TK, Mandal SC, Bhattacharya SK (2002) Antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity of folklore Mallotus peltatus: Leaf extract. J Ethnopharmacol 82(2–3): 229–237
730
D. Chattopadhyay et al.
Dagar HS, Dagar JC (1991) Plant folk medicines among Nicobarese of Katchal Island, India. Econ Bot 45 (I), 114–119 Goodman and Gilman (1996) In: The pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th edn, McGraw-Hill, Professions division, New York, pp. 959–975 Gupta MB, Nath R, Srivastava N, Shanker K, Kishor K, Bhargava KP (1996) Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of β-sitosterol. International Journal of Immunopharmacology 18: 693–700 Murugesan T, Mandal Subhash C, Bhakta T, Das J, Pal M, Saha BP (2000) Evaluation of anti-pyretic potential of Jussiaea suffrutucosa Linn. Extract in rats. Phytomedicine 7: 231–234 Pollock JRA, Stevens R (editors) Dictionary of Organic Compounds, vol. 5, 4th ed. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1965
Woodson RF (1987) In: Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Biomedical data, Wiley series in Probability and Mathematical Statistics, Wiley, New York, pp. 315–316
j Address D. Chattopadhyay. , M. Sc., Ph.D. Fellow BSAC (England), Senior Research Officer ICMR Virus Unit Calcutta, Infectious Diseases & Beliaghata General Hospital, GB 4, 1st Floor, 57, Dr. S.C. Banerjee Road, Kolkata 700 010, India Tel.: ++91-33-353-7425; Fax: ++91-33-353-7424; e-Mail: [email protected]