Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF AERIAL ROOT OF FICUS BENGHALENSIS LINN.

Hikmat Ullah Jan ?, Navid Khan, Muhammad Siraj and Amjid Uzair

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants have been used as an exemplary source for centuries as an alternative remedy for treating human diseases because they contain numerous active constituents of therapeutic value. Over 50% of all modern clinical drugs are having their origin in natural products. Presently 80% of the world population relies on plant derived medicines and serves as first line of defense in maintaining health and combating many diseases. In the present study we assessed several pharmacognostic activities as antispasmodic, muscle relaxant, acute toxicity, analgesic, tail immersion and paw reading activities of aerial roots of Ficus benghalensis Linn. An aerial root extracts in different solvent Ethanol, Methanol and Distilled water was applied on albino mice. The analgesic activity was done by using acetic acid induced activity, Tail immersion and Paw readings was done with radiant heat hot plate method. All the three types of extracts showed excellent potential against analgesic activity, Tail immersion and Paw readings activities at 200 mg/kg dose as compare to the standard drug by applying on animals albino mice. We found that aerial root showed antispasmodic potential through active charcoal movement about 9.33±1.52*, 13.33±1.52* and 12.66±1.52* at 200mg/kg dose of using methanol, ethanol and distilled water extracts respectively. We concluded that aerial root extracts in Ethanol, Methanol and Distilled water of Ficus benghalensis Linn, showed excellent potential against Antispasmodic, Muscle relaxant and Acute toxic activities at 200 mg/kg dose as compare to the standard drug applied on animals albino mice. Ethanolic extract of aerial root of Ficus benghalensis Linn. was found to be more potent and effective out of the three extracts in each activity and was dose dependent. Further research is needed to explore anti-tumer, anti diarrheal activities of Ficus benghalensis.

Keywords: Ficus benghalensis Linn. Aerial root, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Acute toxic, Muscle relaxant, Tail immersion, Paw reading activities.