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A pharmacological evaluation of Baphia nitida Lodd (Leguminosae) ethanolic extract on rats and mice
Author(s) -
Onwukaeme D. N.,
Lot T. Y.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.2650050605
Subject(s) - phytochemical , antidiarrhoeal , traditional medicine , anticonvulsant , acute toxicity , saponin , analgesic , glycoside , pharmacology , chemistry , strychnine , median lethal dose , toxicity , biology , medicine , castor oil , biochemistry , stereochemistry , epilepsy , alternative medicine , organic chemistry , pathology , neuroscience
Fresh leaves of Baphia nitida supplied by a herbalist were extracted, screened phytochemically and then subjected to various pharmacological tests. The phytochemical tests showed the presence of saponin, flavonoid glycosides and true tannins. In the dose range used, no acute toxicity was observed for the ethanolic extract. The extract showed a dose dependent antinociceptive (analgesic) activity in mice with the analgesic activity of 500 mg/kg extract being comparable to that of 300 mg/kg of acetylsalicylic acid. The extract demonstrated an antidiarrhoeal effect by protecting rats against castor oil induced diarrhoea. This was also dose related but less than the protection afforded by sodium salicylate. The extract did not demonstrate any appreciable anticonvulsant effect against strychnine‐induced convulsion in rats.