Evaluation of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of leaf extracts of Crateva religiosa

Abstract

Crateva religiosa leaf extract is used in traditional medicine for treatment of otitis media. In this work, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity of the diethyl ether and methanolic extracts, extracted successively were evaluated. Phytochemical classes of constituents present in the extracts and leaf powder were determined. The lethal doses of the extracts in mice were determined intraperitoneally. Aspirin, diclofenac, chloramphenicol and gentamicin were used as control drugs. The LD50 of the extracts were greater than 5mg/kg, while the yield was 7.2% for diethyl ether and 16.7% for methanol. The major classes of compounds in the extracts are alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, resins and proteins. The diethyl ether extract had anti-inflammatory activity that was concentration dependent and significant (P<0.001) AT 100 mg/kg with percentage inhibition of edema value of 65.6. The methanol extract had antimicrobial activity comparable to those of the standard drugs. Analytical thin layer chromatographic studies on the methanol extract using silica gel pre coated plates and different solvent system gave n-hexane chloroform (1:2) as the best solvent system which afforded 10 bands on preparative thin layer chromatography. Antimicrobial studies on the chromatographic fraction confirmed the antimicrobial active fractions to be steroidal terpenoids.