Pharmacological Studies on Antiasthmatic Effects of Selected Medicinal Plants of Balochistan

Abstract

Asthma is defined as multifaceted inflammatory disease, results in narrowing of airways. Currently use of medicinal plants have been increased immensely for the treatment of asthma. Balochistan is the native home of medicinal plants. Perovskia abrotanoides and Taverniera glabra are two important medicinal plants of Balochistan and used traditionally for the treatment of various diseases including asthma. Present study was conducted on crude methanolic extract of Perovskia abrotanoides whole plant and stem and root of Taverniera glabra. Current study was carried out to evaluate Anti-asthmatic, acute toxicity, analgesic and exploratory (CNS depressant) activity, Hepatoprotective and chronic toxicity test of the plants. Acute toxicity was carried out by oral administration of the extract from 250 to 2000mg/kg oral dose. Anti-asthmatic activity was carried out by Histamine induced bronchospasm. Analgesic activity was carried out by acetic acid induced writhing test and formalin test. Exploratory activities were carried out by open field activity, cage crossing activity, rearing test and forced swimming test. Heptoprotective activity was carried out by CCl4 induced liver damage and biochemical and histopathological parameters were determined. Anti-Cancer Activity, Anti- leishmanial Activity, Antibacterial activity, Insecticidal Activity, Antifungal Bioassay, Phytotoxic Bioassay, Brine Shrimp (Artemia saline) Lethality Bioassay and Antibacterial activity and phytochemical studies of both plants were carried out. Chronic toxicity tests were carried by oral administration of the methanolic extracts of plants at 300mg/kg dose. In Acute toxicity test of P. abrotanoides showed no mortality (0%) while T. glabra was nontoxic at the dose of 1500mg/kg in the acute toxicity test. In vi Anti-asthmatic activity crude methanolic extract of P. abrotanoides and T. glabra showed significant (P<0.05) Anti-asthmatic activity. Exploratory behavior of mice treated with the methanolic extract of plants showed sedative effects (P<0.05) in open field, cage crossing, traction and rearing test, as compared with standard drug Diazepam. In forced swimming test, mobility time was significantly (P<0.05) increased at 500mg/kg oral dose, and results were significant as compared with control and standard drug. Methanolic extract of both plats produced significant (P<0.05) analgesic effects at the dose of 500mg/kg in the acetic acid induced writhing test and the formalin test. Results of Hepatoprotective activity shows that both plants showed significant protective effects. In Anti-Cancer, Anti- leishmanial, Antibacterial, Insecticidal Activity, Antifungal Bioassay, Phytotoxic Bioassay, Brine Shrimp (Artemia saline) Lethality Bioassay P. abrotanoides and T. glabra did not produced any activity. In Antibacterial activity P. abrotanoides showed moderate activity against S. aureus and T. glabra showed significant activity against S. aureus.In chronic toxicity test results shows that P. abrotanoides and T. glabra have non toxic profile, except plantlets, its administration decreased plate lets count significantly (P<0.05) where T. glabra increased the platelets count significantly (P<0.05). In phytochemical studies P. abrotanoides shows the presence of volatile oils , alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and tannins and T. glabra shows the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and tannins. In conclusion, results show that the crude methanolic extract of P. abrotanoides and T. glabra possess Anti-asthmatic activity, CNS sedative, potent analgesic, hepatoprotective and antibacterial effects with non-toxic profile. Present pharmacological studies are the first ever studies conducted on the methanolic extract of P. abrotanoides and Taverniera glabra.