title: CNS activity of Alstonia macrophylla leaf extracts: an ethnomedicine of Onge of Bay Islands.
abstract: Methanol extract at 100-200 mg/kg p.o. and major nonpolar fraction B at 50 mg/kg of Alstonia macrophylla leaves caused a significant reduction in spontaneous activity, remarkable decrease in exploratory behavioural pattern, a reduction in muscle relaxant activity and also significantly potentiated phenobarbitone sodium-induced sleeping time. The phytochemical study of crude leaf extract revealed the presence of tannin, triterpenoid, flavonoid, sterol, alkaloid and reducing sugars. Further fractionation and purification of the n-butanol part of methanol extract yielded fraction A, fraction B and fraction C along with some minor fatty acids as the major compounds.
authors.affiliation: ICMR Virus Unit Calcutta, Infectious Diseases and Beliaghata General Hospital, GB 4, 1st Floor, 57, Dr Suresh Banerjee Road, Kolkata 700 010, India. debprasadc@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Debprasad
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arunachalam
authors.forename: Lopamudra
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Asit B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mandal
mesh_terms: D031051:Alstonia; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts