Comparative Pharmacognostical and Pharmacological Evaluation of Conventional and Dry-Heat-Assisted 50% Ethanolic Extracts of Calotropis Gigantea Whole Plant”
Abstract
The present study was designed to conduct a comparative pharmacognostical and pharmacological evaluation of conventional and dry-heat-assisted 50% ethanolic extracts of the whole plant of Calotropis gigantean. The whole plant material of Calotropis gigantea was collected, authenticated botanically, cleaned, dried, and subjected to appropriate pharmacognostical evaluation The powdered whole plant was subsequently extracted using 50% ethanol by a conventional extraction procedure and by a dry-heat-assisted extraction method under controlled experimental conditions. Preliminary phytochemical investigation was carried out to identify the major classes of secondary metabolites present in both extracts. The extracts were evaluated for the presence of phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, terpenoids, glycosides, saponins, steroids, and other relevant constituents. DPPH activity expressed convention extract demonstrated a scavenging activity of 74.4±2.3%, whereas the dry heat extract showed an inhibition value of 72.28±3.46%. OECD 423 followed single oral administration of 2000 mg/kg of animals shown no toxic symptoms. Carrageenan-induced edema paw volume was subsequently observed, with values convention extract & dry heat extract decreasing to 1.6 ± 0.13 &1.0 ± 0.615 ml at the second hour, 1.5 ± 0.89 & 1.8 ± 0.122 ml at the third hour, 1.4 ± 0.62 & 1.6 ± 0.13 ml at the fourth hour, and remaining at 1.4 ± 0.843 & 1.4 ± 0.843 ml at the sixth hour. The findings are expected to provide useful information regarding the influence of processing and extraction methodology on the pharmacologically potential of the plant. The study may also contribute to the standardization and further scientific investigation of C. gigantea as a potential source of bioactive phytoconstituents. Further studies involving detailed phytochemical characterization, isolation of active constituents, mechanistic investigations, and comprehensive safety evaluation are warranted to establish the therapeutic potential of the more active extract.