ABSTRACT
Objective: In order to scientifically validate the folk uses, extracts of aerial parts of Gymnosporia royleana were screened for in-vivo antidiarrheal and analgesic activity and in-vitro pediculicidal activity.
Methods: Methanol extract of aerial parts of Gymnosporia royleana (GR) was screened for in-vivo antidiarrheal activity in wistar rats using castor oil induced diarrhea model, and for analgesic activity using acetic acid induced writhing and hot plat induced pain models in mice. Methanol extract and its various solvent fractions were also screened for in-vitro pediculicidal activity using human head lice.
Results: In antidiarrheal assay, GR extract showed a considerable reduction in the number of wet feces as well as total number of feces in a dose dependent fashion. GR extract produced 26.55%, 77.60% and 84.06% inhibition of diarrhea at doses of 100 mg/Kg, 200 mg/Kg and 400 mg/Kg body weight. In acetic acid induced writhings model, the extract demonstrated the dose dependent analgesic effect which was highest for 600 mg/Kg body weight dose, however, it was less than that of Diclofenac sodium. In thermally induced pain model, GR extract exhibited significant analgesic effect in a dose dependent fashion and at 600 mg/Kg dose, analgesic effect was comparable to that of morphine (20 mg/Kg body weight). The pediculicidal activity of the plant extracts were found to be insignificant when compared to control.
Conclusion: The results of in-vivo studies strongly support the antidiarrheal and analgesic use of the plant in folk medicine, however, in-vitro pediculicidal assay provided contradictive evidence regarding the pediculicidal use of the plant.
Manuscripts that are Published Ahead of Print have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication by the Editorial Board of the West Indian Medical Journal. They may appear in their original format and may not be copy edited or formatted in the style guide of this Journal. While accepted manuscripts are not yet assigned a volume, issue or page numbers, they can be cited using the DOI and date of e-publication. See our Instructions for Authors on how to properly cite manuscripts at this stage. The contents of the manuscript may change before it is published in its final form. Manuscripts in this section will be removed once they have been issued to a volume and issue, but will still retain the DOI and date of e-publication.
Our 7 faculties and 12 professional schools offer more than 200 programmes to some 18,000 graduate, undergraduate and continuing studies students.
The UWI, Mona ranks first in Jamaica among accredited tertiary-level programmes. In 2012, the University was again one of Jamaica’s Top 100 Employers.
