Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTI-ASTHMATIC AND ANTI-TUSSIVE ACTIVITY OF CISSUS QUADRANGULARIS

Kiran Kumar Thambrahalli*, Chandrashekhar M. Sultanpur

Department of Pharmacology, Government College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, INDIA.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the anti-asthmatic and anti-tussive potential of Cissus quadrangularis using experimental models. Materials and methods: Wistar rats were used for mast cell stabilization protocol, albino mice for anti-tussive protocol, and albino guinea pigs for the broncho spasmolytic protocol. Results: The acute toxicity study of the extract revealed no mortality or death at the highest dose of 2000 mg/kg (b.w.). Hence 200 mg /kg b.w. and 400 mg/kg b.w. were selected as lower and higher doses of the extract for the experimentation. Results of histamine induced bronchospasm paradigms demonstrate broncho spasmolytic activity of Cissus quadrangularis (400 mg/kg b.w.). This effect was characterized by prolongation of onset of bronchospasm and reduction of asphyxia as compared to control group (p˂0.01). In the mast cell stabilization paradigm, compound 48/80 produced 74 % of mast cell degranulation. Cissus quadrangularis (200 and 400 mg/kg b.w.) showed dose dependent significant reduction in mast cell degranulation (p˂0.01) as compared to compound 48/80 treated animals. The probable mechanism for anti-asthmatic action of extract could be anti-histaminic or mast cell membrane stabilization. In anti-tussive paradigm, SO2 induced cough, Cissus quadrangularis (400 mg /kg b.w.) showed a significant reduction in the number of cough bouts (p˂0.05) as compared to only SO2 induced group animals. Conclusion: These results show that the ethanolic extract of Cissus quadrangularis possesses anti-histaminic, mast cell stabilizing, anti-tussive properties and therefore can be a candidate for the anti-asthmatic and anti-tussive treatment. Future research should focus on the molecular mechanism of responsible constituent for above mentioned actions.

Keywords: anti-histaminic, anti-asthmatic, mast cell stabilizing, anti-tussive, Cissus quadrangularis.