Evaluation of Anti-asthmatic and Antioxidant potentials of seed extract of Strychnos nux vomica L.

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to clarify the benefits of poisonous plant Nux Vomica L. in asthma. Asthma is one of the major public health problems for the developed and developing countries. Worldwide, it is estimated that 300 million people are affected with bronchial asthma. India has an estimated 15–20 million asthmatics with a prevalence of about 10% and 15% in 5–11 year old children. Asthma is a allergy which cause inflammation so we need the drug which poses anti allergic and anti-inflammatory action. The objectives of the study are screening the strychnos nux-vomica for its in vivo anti-asthmatic and antioxidant activity. The activity will be correlated with the various phytoconstituents present in the plant which might be responsible for the activity. Three different in vivo screening models are used these are clonidine-induced catalepsy in mice, clonidineinduced mast cell degranulation in rats, milk-induced leukocytosis and Eosinophilia in mice to get the best result of the prepared extract. All three models work on different receptor and also have different mechanism of acting on asthma or inflammation. Nux vomica is the plant which shows its action on both allergy and inflammation so it is chosen for this study and asthma is diseases which also have allergy and inflammation. The findings will be justified with the traditional claims of the plant. Strychnos nux vomica seed extracts showed the positive result of in vivo activity. From this study it was identified that hydro alcoholic seeds extract of this crude drug could be used to control the asthma.