PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES AND ANTIPYRETIC EVALUATION OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF POLYATHIA LONGIFOLIA (FAMILY ANNONACEAE)

ABSTRACT

Fever is a complex physiological response triggered by infectious or aseptic stimuli. The present investigation was carried out to study the antipyretic activity of Polyalthia longifolia extracts in mice against brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia. P. longifolia (Annonaceae) is an evergreen tropical :ree well known for its numerous medicinal properties. Phytochemical test were carried out on the aqueous leaves extract of P. longifolia and these indicated the presence of alkaloids and phenols. The leaves were room dried for two weeks. The dried leaves of P. longifolia were powdered and extracted using hot water as the extracting solvent. The extract was concentrated using water bath and the concentrate was used on mice to evaluate it antipyretic effect at doses of 100, 200,400 and 800 mg kg-1 body weight using brewer's yeast-induced antipyretic activity model. Their rectal temperatures were measured for 0 hour, 1 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours.). At 0 hour compared to basal temperature after treatment, rectal temperature of all treated group were significantly (p<0.05) less than that of the negative control. The standard drug (paracetamol) treated group was the most significant (p<0.05) with rectal temperature (34.45±0.25 °C). However by the 2nd hour, the various doses of the extract reduced the rectal temperature significantly (p<0.05) compared to the control. Lowered temperature compared favored as the positive control. By the fourth hour it was observed that whereas the rectal temperature in the treated group continued to be significantly (p<0.05) less. In the control, slight increase was however observed. P. longifolia has a high antipyretic effect comparable to the standard drug (paracetamol).