Pharmacological and Toxicological Studies of Methanolic Extract of Mikania Cordata and Spilanthes Acmella

Abstract

The plants which are useful for healing several diseases are called medicinal plant. Use of these plants for therapeutic purposes has been in practice in this country since time immemorial. Herbal toxicity is a field that has rapidly grown over the last few years along with increased use of herbal products worldwide. The plant, Mikania cordata (Bum.f) B.L. Robinson, is well known medicinal plant amongst traditional practitioner in Bangladesh, for its medicinal values that treat several local illness. The plant extract was assessed on the central nervous system using a number of neuropharmacological experimental models in mice. The methalonic extract of Mikania cordata at 200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg showed significant decreased activity in the open field test and hole board test which confirms the depressant activity. The methanolic extract of Mikania cordata of 800mg/kg, 1200 mg/kg, n-hexane, DCM fraction has been used to assess the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity properties using Acetic acid induced writhing test and Formalin-induced paw licking test. Mikania cordata can significantly attenuate acetic acidinduced writhing episodes and acute and delayed phases of formalin induced pain in mice in dose dependent manner comparable to that produced by Indomethacin and aspirin respectively. The methanolic extract of Spilanthes acmella of n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, water fraction has been used to assess the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity properties using Acetic acid induced writhing test and Formalin-induced paw licking test. Chloroform fraction significantly attenuate acetic acid-induced writhing episodes and acute and delayed phases of formalin-induced pain in mice. In the present study, the safety profile of Mikania cordata was evaluated by acute and sub-chronic toxicity study in Swiss albino mice. In acute toxicity study, each extract up to 6000 mg/kg body weight orally did not produce any toxic effect or death. In sub-chronic toxicity study, the three dose of 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, 600mg/kg were administered for 45th day. The hematological, histological, serum and hepatic biochemical parameters were evaluated by sacrificing the animals. Mortality was observed during the course of study period. Number of decreased cell count observed in hematological, number of SGPT increased in biochemical, and number of cell also decreased in histological parameters in treated groups when compared to vehicle control group after 45 days. The results of the present study therefore indicated that Mikania cordata has potent depressant activity, potent analgesic activity but not safe in adult Swiss albino mice demonstrating noticeable toxicity.