title: Acute toxicity study and antipyretic effect of the brown alga Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kuetz.
abstract: The active principles of brown alga, Turbinaria conoides (J.Agardh) Kuetz. (Sargassaceae) was extracted with n-hexane, cyclohexane, methanol and ethanol-water (1:1) and investigated for acute toxicity and antipyretic activity. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of steroids, flavonoids and reducing sugars. Acute toxicity study was performed in Wistar rats after administration of extracts orally. No mortality was observed up to the dose of 5 g/kg for methanol and ethanol-water (1:1) extracts whereas n-hexane and cyclohexane extracts were found to be toxic at the dose levels of 1 g/kg and 2 g/kg respectively. In biochemical analysis, n-hexane, cyclohexane and ethanol-water (1:1) extracts caused a significant (P<0.01) increase in serum cholesterol, protein and alkaline phosphatase levels. In haematological studies, a significant difference was observed for cyclohexane and ethanol-water (1:1) extracts in polymorphs, lymphocytes and eosinophils when compared to the control. Antipyretic activity of extracts (100-400 mg/kg doses) was carried out on yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. Cyclohexane extract exhibited more significant antipyretic activity (P<0.01) than the other extracts at a dose of 200 mg/kg (54.43%), which was comparable to that of paracetamol at a dose of 33 mg/kg. The findings validated the use of this brown alga in traditional cure of children's fever.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, I.T.S.Paramedical College (Pharmacy), Murad Nagar-201 206, Uttar Pradesh, India. jesisjes@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: S Sadish
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: M S Y
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anbu
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Sam
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D000459:Phaeophyceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D010936:Plant Extracts
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