Abstract

PHYTO-PHARMACOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF AQUEOUS CRUDE EXTRACT OF SCADOXUS MULTIFLORUS

Mim Binti Akhlas, Md. Mashrur Chowdhury, Rajib Hossain, Tania Parvin, Fatema Khatun, Anzuman Akter, Muhammad Torequl Islam* and Razina Rouf

ABSTRACT

Scadoxus multiflorus (Family: Amaryllidaceae), an ornamental plant which is traditionally used in Africa for the treatment of various diseases, including dropsy, scabies, wounds, diarrhea, inflammation, and bacterial infection. Scientific reports on this medicinal herb is very little. This study aimed at phyto-pharmacological evaluation of the aqueous crude extract of the aerial parts of S. multiflorus. We did a preliminary phytochemical analysis along with the evaluation of high concentration-induced toxicity and low concentration-mediated protective effects in a number of in vitro and ex vivo test systems of the aqueous crude extract of the aerial parts of S. multiflorus. Toxicity analysis was done in Allium cepa, while anti-inflammatory, and membrane stabilizing and clotlysis capacity were tested by using egg albumin and human erythrocytes, respectively. The results suggest that plant contains important phytoconstituents, including alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins and flavonoids. The crude extract exhibited toxicity in A. cepa in 24, 48 and 72 h in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract at low concentration (5 and 10%) reduced the root growth inhibition capacity at 48 h in comparison to 24 and 72 h, possibly by adaptation of DNA damage profile in the eukaryotic test system, which was further confirmed in anti-inflammatory and membrane stabilizing, and anti-atherothrombosis test. In the latter cases, the extract at 0.03 – 0.15% (v/v) significantly (p <0.05, p <0.01, p <0.001) inhibited protein denaturation, membrane lysis and clotlysis capacity in a concentration-dependent manner in the test systems. S. multiflorus may be one of the potential sources of phytotherapeutic agents, especially for the treatment of oxidative stress and inflmmatory diseases.

Keywords: Scadoxus multiflorus; toxicity; anti-inflammatory; membrane stabilization; thrombolysis.