Phyto chemical characterisation and in-vivo antipyretic activity of Allophyllus cobbe L. (Raeusch.)

The present study was planned to evaluate and compare the in-vivo antipyretic activity of aqueous, hydroalcoholic, methanolic and petroleum benzene extracts of leaves of Allophylus cobbe (L.) Raeusch. in endotoxin (Lipopolysaccharide from E. coli serovar 0127: B8) induced pyretic models in adult Wistar rats of either sex. Acute oral toxicity study was conducted as per OECD guidelines. Preliminary phytochemical analysis as per standard procedures and HPTLC fingerprinting of the various extracts was done using solvent hexane: ethyl acetate. In vivo antipyretic activity was determined by LPS induced pyrexia model and oral administration of 250 mg/kg of various extract of A. cobbe and lipopolysaccharide at dose rate of 50μg/kg intramuscularly. The reduction in temperature of aqueous extract treated group was comparable to the standard antipyretic drug paracetamol by the second hour of study. No acute toxic symptoms were observed on oral administration of any of these extracts at 2000 mg/kg body weight which indicated the safety of extracts. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of secondary plant metabolites like as phenolics, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, terpenes and flavonoids. The HPTLC chromatogram and densitometry of different leaf extracts of A. cobbe at visible, short and long UV revealed maximum no of peak 13 in petroleum ether extract followed by 6 peaks in aqueous, 7 peaks in hydroalcoholic and methanolic extract respectively. The results of the study indicated that the antipyretic response observed could be due to the presence of one or more components of polar nature. Further fractionation and isolation study needs to be undertaken for identifying the active compound responsible for the antipyretic activity of the extract and development of potent safe herbal antipyretic drug from this plant.