The ethanolic bark extract of Mitragyna diversifolia showed significant (p<0.05) antidiarrheal activity on gastrointestinal motility with barium sulfate milk model and castor oil-induced diarrheal model in rats. These results revealed that the bark extract possess pharmacological activity against diarrhea and may possibly explain the use of the plant in traditional medicine. Article Info

The present study was carried out to investigate the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of the crude ethanol extract of Azadirachta indica leaves on experimental animal model at three different dose level- 1g/kg, 500 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg. For evaluation of the anti-inflammatory property carrageenan induced paw edema served as acute model and cotton pellet induced granuloma formation served as chronic model in rats. The acetic acid induced writhing response and hot plate test were used to assess antinociceptive activity in mice. The antipyretic activity was evaluated on yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. Acute toxicity test was also performed in rats after administration of the extract orally at high dose level (4g/kg). Oral administration of the ethanol extract of A. indica leaves significantly (P<0.05) suppressed the paw edema induced by carrageenan as well as granulomatous tissue formation induced by cotton pellet in rats at high dose level (1g/kg) but no significant effect was observed at 500 mg/kg and 250mg/kg dose level. In addition, ethanol extract obtained from A. indica leaves (1g/ kg) also significantly (P<0.05) attenuated the acetic acid induced writhing response in mice but did not show any significant protective effect on heat induced pain in mice. A significant antipyretic effect (P< 0.05) was noticed with ethanol leaf extract of A. indica leaves at 1g/kg and 500 mg/kg dose level. In acute toxicity study, no mortality was observed at 4 g/kg dose level. The present study also demonstrates the potential anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effect of the ethanol extract of Azadirachta indica leaves, which supports the claims by the traditional medicine practitioners. Keywords: Anti-inflammatory, Antinociceptive, Antipyretic, Azadirachta indica DOI: 10.3329/bjsir.v44i2.3672 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 44(2), 199-206, 2009

This study screened the antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of ethanol-extracted leaves of yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana). The extract was tested against castor oil-induced diarrhoea in a model of albino rats and showed significant antidiarrhoeal activity (P<0.01). Disc diffusion technique was used to test the in vitro antibacterial activities of the extract and exhibited poor antibacterial activities against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria (mainly Bacillus sp). Ethanol-extracted leaves of yellow oleander showed narrow zone of inhibition in the bacterial lawns of Shigella flexineri, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella sp, Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella sonnei. Cytotoxicty was determined against brine shrimp nauplii and LC50 of the plant extract was determined as 627.21�g/ml. The wide range of LC50 value denotes the safety effect of the extract.

The hypocholesterolemic effect of the ethanol extract of Ananas comosas (Pineapple) was investigated in 5 groups of albino rats, 7 in each group. Group I rat received only distilled water and served as normal control. Groups II, III, IV and  V were made hypercholesterolemic by feeding cholesterol orally suspended in 2% cholic acid mixed soybean oil (1 ml/kg bw) at a dose of 100 mg/kg bw daily up to 60 days. Group II rat received 1 ml distilled water while animals of Group III , IV and V received ethanol extract of Ananas comosas at the dose of 1000 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weight respectively daily up to 60 days in addition to cholesterol as above. At the end of 60th day animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for measurement of lipid profiles using enzymatic kit. Administration of cholesterol caused a significant rise (p<0.001) in the serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. Simultaneous administration of three different doses of Ananas comosas extract namely 1000 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg for 60 days decreased serum cholesterol level by 62%, 47%, and 42% respectively (p<0.001); serum triglycerides level by 62.7%, 58.7%, and 49.09% respectively (p<0.001); serum LDL level by 70.5%, 53.9% and 51.15%, respectively (p<0.01). However, serum HDL level was not affected significantly. The cumulative results clearly indicate ethanol extract of Ananas comosas leaves possesses potent hypocholesterolaemic effect.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v5i1.3739 International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.5(1) 2011