Investigation of in vitro thrombolytic and anti-helminthic activity and in vivo anxiolytic and antidepressant potentiality with phytochemical nature of methanolic extract of Leucas lavandulifolia

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Leucas lavandulifolia, locally called ‘Halkusha or Donkolos’ is a well-known medicinal plant in Bangladesh. The crude methanolic extract of L. lavandulifolia was designed to investigate for its possible chemical groups, thrombolytic, anthelmintic, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. Thrombolytic and anthelmintic activities were elucidated by taking human erythrocytes and earthworms as test models. The plant extract was divided into two different doses (200 and 400mg/kg body weight) for evaluating anxiolytic and CNS depressant property on swiss-albino mice by using different test models such as elevated plus maze, hole board, open field and forced Swim tests. The phytochemical analysis of the crude extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, phytosterols and phenols. In the thrombolytic test, the plant extract had produced dose dependent clot lysis potential in human erythrocytes at five different doses (2, 4, 6, 8, 10mg/ml), while standard streptokinase and water were used as positive and negative controls. Five different concentrations (10, 20, 30, 40 & 50mg/ml) of crude extract of L. lavandulifolia also showed marked anthelmintic property in earthworms in a dose dependent manner. Significant (p <0.01; p < 0.05) CNS depressant and anxiolytic activity were observed in case of both extract doses (200 and 400mg/kg body weight) which were comparable to the standard drug diazepam. Thus, the present study asserted the potentiality of L. lavandulifolia as thrombolytic, anthelmintic, anxiolytic and CNS depressant agents and therefore supports the traditional uses of this medicinal plant.