Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the anticonvulsant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of Berberis calliobotrys . Methods: The powdered plant material (10 kg) was extracted thrice with methanol (3 × 12 L) by dipping for seven days. The methanol extract was concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure, and then successively fractionated with solvents of different polarity, including n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The anticonvulsant effect of the extract and fractions (at oral doses 500 and 1000 mg/kg) was studied against picrotoxin-, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)- and strychnine-induced seizures in Swiss albino mice of either sex divided into 12 groups (n = 6). Diazepam was used as standard drug. Antimicrobial activity of the extract against Bacillus subtilis , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus as well as against Candida albicans , Penicillium notatum was conducted by disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Cytotoxicity of the extract/fractions was analyzed by haemolytic method while the phenolic compounds present in the ethyl acetate fraction of the plant were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: The extract and its ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions showed maximum response against drug-induced convulsions and provided 100 % protection to animals at both doses. They also showed zones of inhibition of 27.00 ± 2.51, and 22.00 ± 2.51 mm against all bacterial and fungal strains, respectively, especially Staphylococcus aureus . The methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction also showed high MIC against all bacterial and fungal strains. Cytotoxicity data from hemolytic assay indicate that the extract/fractions are safe. The highest amount of phenolic found was chlorogenic acid (84.44 ± 0.06 ppm). Conclusion: The plant is thus a potential source of new lead compounds for the development of new clinically effective anticonvulsant and antimicrobial compounds. Keywords: Berberis calliobotrys , Anticonvulsant, Antimicrobial, Haemolytic, Phenolics, Chlorogenic acid
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONBerberis calliobotrys Aitch. ex Koehne (Berberidaceae), commonly known as Choweng, is an important medicinal plant mostly found in
Berberis calliobotrys Aitch. ex Koehne (Berberidaceae), commonly known as Choweng, is an important medicinal plant mostly found inNorth Temperate regions, tropical mountains and South America [1].This plant is used in various systems of medicines for treating different types of ailments
The antimicrobial assay for plant extract and fractions against different bacterial and fungal strains was conducted by disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) [11]
Summary
Berberis calliobotrys Aitch. ex Koehne (Berberidaceae), commonly known as Choweng, is an important medicinal plant mostly found in. North Temperate regions, tropical mountains and South America [1] This plant is used in various systems of medicines for treating different types of ailments. Western medicines became the main system of health care, but different communities still continue to benefit from the folk knowledge of the use of plants as medicines. Most of this knowledge base has never been documented and threatened to disappear with the rapid demographic changes. Treatment of experimental animals was performed according to protocols approved by the animal ethical committee of University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan Different chemical tests were conducted, using reported methods, to check out the presence of various phytoconstituents from methanol extract and its fractions [7,8,9]
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