Zizyphus spina-christi is used in ethnomedical practice for the treatment of fever. Bio-assay guided investigation of the plant's root bark was initiated and ZS-2A, a fraction from the chloroform extract of the material, eluted with hexane-ethylacetate (50:50) using flash column chromatography, was evaluated for in vivo antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium berghei in mice. Four-day suppressive, curative effect against established infection and prophylactic models of antiplasmodial studies were used. The fraction (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) showed a potent activity against the parasite in the suppressive and curative tests. The result suggests that ZS-2A may be a promising agent for malaria treatment.
Phytochemical screening was carried out on the ethylacetate portion of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Pseudocedrella kotschyii and then evaluated for its analgesic (acetic acid-induced writhing) and anti-inflammatory (raw egg albumin-induced oedema) activities in mice and rats respectively. Phytochemical screening of the ethylacetate partition portion of ethanolic extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides and tannins as major chemical constituents. Alkaloids saponins, cardiac glycosides, steroids were not dictated in the extract. The ethylacetate extract (50 and 100 mg/kg i.p) exhibited significant activity (p<0.05) against acetic acid-induced writhing in a dose dependent manner. In the anti-inflammatory activity the ethylacetate extract (50 and 100 mg/kg i.p.) caused a slight effect against the raw egg albumin-induced oedema. The effect was however observed not to be dose dependent. All these effects were compared with standard drug piroxicam (20 mg/kg i.p.).
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