title: Preliminary assessment of free radical scavenging, thrombolytic and membrane stabilizing capabilities of organic fractions of Callistemon citrinus (Curtis.) skeels leaves.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Callistemon citrinus (Curtis.) (Family- Myrtaceae) is a popular evergreen shrub in Bangladesh. In the present study, the leaves of this plant have been assessed comprehensively for free radical scavenging, thrombolytic and membrane stabilizing activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  The leaves were collected, powdered and extracted with methanol. The extract was then concentrated and successively fractionated into petroleum ether, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and aqueous soluble fractions. The extractives were investigated for free radical scavenging, thrombolytic and membrane stabilizing activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In case of 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging assays, the crude methanol extract of the leaves showed the highest free radical scavenging activity among the tested materials including standard ascorbic acid (p = 0.0000). Besides, this extract was also found significantly rich (p = 0.0000) in phenolics and flavonoids compared to other organic fractions. In thrombolytic study, the petroleum ether fraction exhibited significantly stronger thrombolysis (p = 0.024) than other leaf extractives but was weaker than the standard streptokinase. In membrane stabilizing assay, the activity of chloroform fraction was similar to that of standard acetylsalicylic acid (p = 1.000) in hypotonic solution induced hemolysis. However, membrane stabilization activity of this chloroform fraction was found significantly stronger than that of the standard (p = 0.0000) in heat induced hemolysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has revealed the medicinal capabilities of different organic fractions of C. citrinus displaying free radical scavenging, thrombolysis and membrane stabilizing antiinflammatory potentials. Further bioactivity guided isolation is required to obtain pharmacologically secondary metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Phytochemical Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Farhana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Phytochemical Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh. msr@du.ac.bd.
authors.forename: Mohammad Sharifur
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rahman
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005419:Flavonoids; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D027822:Myrtaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols; D010851:Picrates / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D013927:Thrombosis
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
keywords: Antiinflammatory; Antioxidant; Callistemon citrinus; Free radical scavenging; Herbal; Membrane stabilization; Myrtaceae; Thrombolytic