In vivo screening of essential oils of Skimmia laureola leaves for antinociceptive and antipyretic activity

Objective:To study the screening of essential oils of Skimmia laureola leaves(SLO)for acute toxicity,antinociceptive,antipyretic and anticonvulsant activities in various animal models.Methods:SLO were extracted using modified Clevenger type apparatus.Acute toxicity test was used in mice to observe its safety level.Antinociceptive activity of SLO was evaluated in acetic acid induced writhing and hot plate tests.Yeast induced hyperthermic mice and pentylenetetrazole induced convulsive mice were used for the assessment of its antipyretic and anticonvulsant profile respectively.Results:Substantial safety was observed for SLO in acute toxicity test.SLO showed a high significant activity in acetic acid induced writhing test in a dose dependent manner with maximum pain attenuation of 68.48%at 200 mg/kg i.p.However,it did not produce any relief in thermal induced pain at test doses.When challenged against pyrexia evoked by yeast,SLO manifested marked amelioration in hyperthermic mice,dose dependently.Maximum anti-hyperthermic activity(75%)was observed at 200 mg/kg i.p.after 4 h of drug administration.Nevertheless,SLO had no effect on seizures control and mortality caused by pentylenetetrazole.Conclusions:In vivo studies of SLO showed prominent antinociceptive and antipyretic activities with ample safety profile and thus provided pharmacological base for the traditional uses of the plant in various painful conditions and pyrexia.Additional detail studies are required to ascertain its clinical application.

Antipyretic and anticonvulsant activity of n-hexane fraction of viola betonicifolia

Objective:To investigate the antipyretic and anticonvulsant activities of n-hexane fraction of Viola betonicifolia(V.betonicifolia).Methods:The antipyretic effect was scrutinized using brewer's yeast induced pyrexia and anticonvlsion effect was tested using pentylenetetrazol and strychnine induced convulsion in mice.Results:N-hexane fraction of V.betonicifolia demonstrated highly significant antipyretic activity during various assessment times(1-5 h)when challenged in yeast induced pyrexia test.The effect was in a dose dependent manner with maximum attenuation(82.50%)observed at 300 mg/kg i.p.When tested in pentylenetetrazol induced convulsion test,the 1st stage(Ear and facial twitching)and 2nd stage(Convulsive wave through the body)was 100%protected during 24 h at all the test doses(300,400 and 500 mg/kg i.p.),while the latency time of remaining stages was significantly increased.The maximum effect was observed by n-hexane fraction of V.betonicifolia at 400 and 500 mg/kg i.p.,as the latency time for generalized clonic-tonic seizure(5th stage)was increased up to 25.34 min.However,n-hexane fraction of V.betonicifolia had no protection in strychnine induced convulsion test.Conclusions:In conclusion,phytopharmacological studies provide scientific foundation to the folk uses of the plant in the treatment of pyrexia and neurological disorders.