title: Antioxidant and antipyretic studies on Pothos scandens L.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate Pothos scandens for the in vitro antioxidant and antipyretic activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preliminary phytochemicals, total phenolics and flavonoid contents were analyzed in leaf, stem and root samples. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by different assays such as 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, 2, 2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS•+) radical scavenging, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, phosphomolybdenum reduction assay, metal chelating activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide scavenging assay. The antipyretic activity of root methanol extract was studied by pyrexia induced by brewer's yeast on Wistar albino rats at concentration of 200 and 400 mg/kg using paracetamol as standard drug.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total phenolics and tannin content were found to be higher in ethanol extract of stem, whereas total flavonoid content was higher in acetone extract of root. The methanol extract of root showed highest free radical scavenging activity in assays namely ABTS assay (8 221.5 μM TE/g extract), FRAP assay [514.4 mM Fe (II)/g extract], hydrogen peroxide (60.3%) and nitric oxide scavenging assays (58.7%). The DPPH assay and superoxide radical assay results revealed that the ethanol extract of root has remarkable free radical scavenging capacity (IC50 0.284 mg/mL and 70.84%). The antipyretic studies on methanol extract of root showed significant reduction of temperature in pyrexia induced rats at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings justify that Pothos scandens can be a valuable natural antioxidant and antipyretic source which seemed to provide potential nutraceuticals for human health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Thankarajan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sajeesh
authors.forename: Karuppusamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arunachalam
authors.forename: Tangaraj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parimelazhagan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058633:Antipyretics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029064:Araceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010636:Phenols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D013634:Tannins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D058633:Antipyretics; D005419:Flavonoids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013634:Tannins