Pharmacological Investigation of CNS Depressant and Analgesic Activity of Methanolic Extract of Ixora coccinea

Abstract

Ixora coccinea is an ornamental plant from the family Rubiaceae containing around 500 species. Ixora plants have been used by various ethnic groups of Africa, Asia and Europe. The leaves of these plants are reported to have spasmolytic, antiinflammatory, anti-diarrheal, antiasthmatic, hypotensive, antiulcer, antinociceptic, antiviral, antigestagenic and anticancer activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CNS depressant and analgesic activity of methanolic extract of I. coccinea. The CNS depressant activity was evaluated by open field method and hole cross method, and the analgesic activity of was evaluated by acetic acid induced writhing test where the Swiss albino mice were treated with positive control test with Diazepam (in open field and hole cross) and Indomethacin (in writhing test), and negative control test with water. In CNS depressant test, central locomotion and peripheral locomotion was counted at 30 min interval and in writhing test, no of writhing was counted. The result showed that both the 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of ICM leaves give depressant effect which is supported by reduction in spontaneous motor activity. ICM at 200 mg/kg caused significant reduction in the peripheral locomotion and central locomotion from 147.5± 21.45 at 0 minute to 32.17 ± 23.09 (P<0.001) at 120 minutes and for 400 mg/kg doses the peripheral locomotion was started from 133 ± 21.09 at 0 minute and ended in 49.5 ± 17.4 (P<0.001) at 120 min. In hole cross test, at both 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight doses, it produced significant result (p<0.05) and (p<0.001), respectively. At 30 min, number of movement was 40.83 ± 10.06 and 27 ± 10.55 at the dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively; whereas it was 42.67 ± 40.83 and 29.5 ± 7.87 at 0 min at the dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight. In writhing test, % inhibition was 27.09% and 33.11% (p<0.05) at the dose of 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weight, respectively. From the finding of the result it can be concluded that ICM possesses strong CNS depressant activity in open field test and considerable pain inhibition activity in writhing test.