Evaluation of Antipyretic Potential of the Ethanolic Leaf Extract of <em>Salacia lehmbachii</em> Loes

Abstract

Salacia lehmbachii is an indigenous plant used in traditional medicine in Southern Nigeria for the treatment of fever and inflammatory diseases among other uses. The antipyretic effect of ethanolic leaf extract of S. lehmbachii leaf (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) was evaluated in Wistar albino rats using brewer's yeast, amphetamine and 2, 4 dinitrophenol to induce fever, while the efficacy of the herbal drug was compared with 20 mg/kg paracetamol. Acute toxicity test (LD 50 ) of the herbal extract was conducted via oral route. The ethanolic leaf extract significantly (p<0.05) exhibited antipyretic activity in rats. The presence of diverse constituents including tannins, saponins, steroids, flavonoids and alkaloids could account for the potency of the ethanol leaf extract of this plant. The findings may be of clinical relevance and further substantiates the traditional use of the plant as antipyretic agent.

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of methanolic leaf extract of Maerua crassifolia

“…Group 5 received 20 mg/kg of paracetamol. The rectal temperature of each rat was again taken at 1 h interval for 5 h [21,22]. All drugs were administered by oral route.…”

Embryotoxic and Teratogenic Potentials of Salacia lehmbachii in Rats

“…Earlier work from this department had shown the median lethal dose (LD 50 ) of the root bark extract of the plant in albino rats to be above 5000 mg/kg, while the chemical constituents were alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and polyphenols [24]. Biological effects of the plant include analgesia and antiinflammation [24], antipyresia [25], nephroprotection [26], anti-abortifacient action [27], antioxidant action [28], inhibition of male sex hormones [29] and antifertility in male rats [30]. The hepatotoxic and hematotoxic potentials of the plant have also been evaluated [31,32] and the antimalarial action of the plant has been established (Essien AD, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria, unpublished results).…”

Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Are Better than Acetaminophen on Fever Control at Acute Stage of Fracture

“…In previous animal study, the oral doses of antinociceptive properties of acetaminophen ranged from 10 to 300 mg/kg [ 23 ]. On the other hand, the oral dose for antipyretic effects ranged from 20 to 200 mg /kg [ 24 – 26 ]. We give an oral dose as acetaminophen 16.67 mg/kg for the rats according to the clinic therapeutic dose for pain relief.…”