PRELIMIARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREEIG AD ATIPYRETIC ACTIVITY OF LEAF AD ROOT OF HYGROPHILA SPIOSA T. ADERS

Summary Hygrophila spinosa T. Anders (Acanthaceae) commonly known as ‘Talmakhana’ in Hindi is widely distributed throughout India, Srilanka, Burma, Malaysia and Nepal. In traditional system of medicine it is used as diuretic and for the treatment of rheumatism, jaundice, inflammation, pain, hepatic obstruction, gout, diabetes, bacterial infection etc. The present study deals with the preliminary phytochemical screening and antipyretic activity of alcoholic extract of the leaves and roots of H. spinosa T. Anders. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, tannins, proteins, flavonoids and fats & oils in the leaf extract; and alkaloids, steroids, tannins, proteins, flavonoids, carbohydrates and fats & oils in the root extract. Antipyretic activity was evaluated using Brewer’s yeast induced pyrexia in rats. Both the extracts at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight dose significantly (p<0.05) reduced the increased rectal temperature. The extracts started reducing the elevated rectal temperature after 3 hr of treatment. At a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight, leaf extract and root extract reduced 79% and 83.8%, respectively, of the elevated rectal temperature compared to paracetamol (96.5%) after 6 hr. It is concluded that both the extracts are having antipyretic activity, but root extract showed slightly greater activity than leaf extract.