title: Preclinical screening of phyllanthus amarus ethanolic extract for its analgesic and antimicrobial activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To discover a new agent which possesses dual property of analgesic and antimicrobial activity, thereby reducing the burden of polypharmacy. Phyllanthus amarus was screened for its analgesic and antimicrobial activities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to evaluate the analgesic and antimicrobial activity, of P. amarus ethanolic extract (PAEE).
  
  
  METHODS
  The ethanolic extract of P. amarus was prepared using Soxhlet apparatus. An in vivo study using Swiss albino mice was done to screen the central and peripheral analgesic activity of P. amarus extract. The extract was administered at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight orally. The peripheral analgesic activity was assessed using acetic acid induced writhing test. The central analgesic activity was assessed using Eddy's hot plate apparatus. An in vitro study was carried out to study the antimicrobial activity of the above extract using selected species of Streptococcus mutans, and S. salivarius. The antimicrobial activities were determined using the agar well method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ethanolic extract of P. amarus showed significant (P < 0.05) peripheral and central analgesic activity. In vitro antimicrobial screening indicated that the ethanolic extract had shown a zone of inhibition against S. mutans and S. salivarius in the agar wells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that PAEE exhibited significant analgesic and antimicrobial activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: S Sham
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: Department of Paedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: K Sundeep
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hegde
authors.affiliation: Department of Paedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Sharath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandrashekhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Shyamjith
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manikkoth
keywords: Analgesic; Phyllanthus amarus; antimicrobial activity; ethanolic extract