Evaluation of cytotoxic, analgesic, antidiarrheal and phytochemical properties of Hygrophila spinosa (T. Anders) whole plant.
BACKGROUND
Synthetic drugs are going to be replaced by plant-derived traditional drugs due to their cost effectiveness, relatively less harmfulness, and efficacy against multidrug resistance organisms. Hygrophila spinosa (Acanthaceae) has been used in a wide range of ailments including flatulence, diarrhea, dysentery, gonorrhea, and menorrhagia. Therefore, we investigated the cytotoxic, antinociceptive, and antidiarrheal effects of H. spinosa ethanol extract (EExHs).


METHODS
Preliminary phytochemical screening was accomplished by established methods modified in experimental protocol. EExHs was undertaken for cytotoxic assay by Brine shrimp lethality bioassay, antinociceptive action by acetic acid induced writhing test, and antidiarrheal activity by castor oil induced antidiarrheal test. Data were analyzed by GraphPad Prism 6.0 software using Dunnett's test for multiple comparisons.


RESULTS
Reducing sugar, steroid, glycoside, tannin, alkaloid, saponins, and flavonoids were found to be present in EExHs. Lethal concentration (LC50) of EExHs for brine shrimps was 50.59 µg/mL which was relatively lower than that of the standard drug vincristine sulfate. In acetic acid induced writhing test, oral administration of EExHs at three different doses (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) decreased writhing in dose-dependent manner while the highest dose (500 mg/kg) achieved the maximum percentages of pain inhibition (58.8%). Diclofenac sodium (25 mg/kg) was used as a reference antinociceptive drug. The antidiarrheal action of EExHs was not found to be very promising for further use; however, the pure compounds from EExHs could be analyzed to justify the effects.


CONCLUSIONS
This research demonstrates that the secondary metabolites guided cytotoxic and analgesic effects could be extensively studied in multiple models to confirm the effects.
S M Faysal
SM
Bellah
Md Nur
MN
Islam
Md Rezaul
MR
Karim
Md Masudur
MM
Rahaman
Mst Samima
MS
Nasrin
Md Atiar
MA
Rahman
A S M Ali
AS
Reza
D027901:Acanthaceae; D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D001156:Artemia; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000379:methods; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D018514:Plant Structures; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute / Q000379:methods
D000700:Analgesics; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts