In-vivo Biological Evaluation of Root and Leaf Extracts of Berberis kunawurensis (Royle)

Abstract

The present research assessed the in-vivo biological evaluation of root and leaf extracts of Berberis kunawurennsis (Royle) as an analgesic, tail-immersion, anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic agent. Crude extracts of B. kunawurensis root (BKRE) and leaf (BKLE) powder of 250gm in methanol of 10 vol(w/v) were prepared. For analgesic activity based on acetic acid, diclofenic sodium (10mg/kg), normal saline (10mg/kg), and BKLE (10, 15 and 20mg/kg) in methanol were used. The antispasmodic activity based on charcoal was performed on control (10mg/kg), castor oil (10mg/kg). The anti-inflammatory activity based on carageenan in normal saline (0.01ml of 1% carageenan) was performed on control, aspirine (200 mg/kg). High dose (20 mg/kg) showed significant analgesic action compared to the standard drug diclofenic sodium. The result for antispasmodic activity showed that the crude methanolic extract was dose dependent higher dose showed longer distance covered by charcoal in the intestine. The percent increase in the intestinal motility of BKLE was 21.19%, 23.4% and 24.3% at tested doses of 10, 15 and 20 mg/kg respectively. The results for anti-inflammatory activity showed that only BKRE at 20mg/kg exhibited the anti-inflammatory effect to reduce the mice paw edema at one hour of administration compared to control group and standard Aspirin. The methanolic root extract of B. kunawurensis has the best results for the anti-spasmodic activity, analgesic activity and anti-inflammatory activity at high dose (20 mg/kg).