ANTIANXIETY PROPERTY OF BASELLA ALBA LINN LEAVES EXTRACT IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS - SUMMARY

 

8. SUMMARY

 

            The present study was an attempt to evaluate ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the leaves of Basella albafor its anxiolytic activity. The plant material used for the project work was collected from surrounding area of Luqman College of pharmacy, Gulbarga. Identified and authenticated from Ministry of Environment and Forest, Botanical Survey of India, Koregaon road, Pune, India. Fresh leaves were collected, shade dried, powdered, and extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and water. Percentage yield was calculated. Phytochemical studies of the extracts were carried out and ethanolic and aqueous extracts shown the presence of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, carbohydrate, vitamins, glycosides and alkaloids. The phytoconstituents like flavonoids have reported earlier for their anxiolytic effects, so this active principle might be responsible for anxiolytic effects. 

            The acute toxicity studies of AEBAL and EEBAL were conducted as per OECD guidelines 425 and acute doses were selected for evaluation of anxiolytic activity. The selected doses for these extracts are 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg. Acute toxicity studies have revealed that the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Basella alba leaves were safe upto 2000 mg/kg. Both the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Basella alba leaves were screened for anxiolytic activity in four different animal models such as, elevated plus-maze test in mice, Hole and Board test in rats, Light and Dark test in mice and open field test. 

            Aqueous and ethanolic extracts shown a significant anxiolytic activity on selected behavioral animal model of anxiety as, In EPM, the both extract shown significantly increased in the percentage of time spent and entries in open arm whereas the percentage of time spent and entries in close arm was significantly decreased. In hole and board test the both extracts shown decreased in latency to head dip and locomotion and an increased in head dip count significantly. In light and dark test both the extracts shown increased in latency to enter the dark, time spent in light chamber and decreased in tunnel crossing significantly. 

            The results obtained from aqueous and ethanolic extracts at the dose of 800mg/kg was found near to diazepam the reference standard anxiolytic drug.

            From the above results, discussion and conclusion it is clear that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Basella alba leaves has shown anxiolytic activity could be due to the presence of flavonoids and also it is nearly equal potent when compared with the standard drug diazepam.