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Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Vol. 2, Issue 3 (2013)

Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the stem bark extract and fractions of Ficus exasperata Vahl. (Moraceae)

Author(s):

Amponsah IK*, Fleischer TC, Annan K, Dickson RA, Sarpong FM

Abstract:
Ficus exasperata is used in various ethnomedicines for the treatment of pain, inflammatory diseases, wounds and abscesses. Different solvent extracts of the stem bark of F. exasperata, which is rarely studied, were tested for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Anti-inflammatory activity of the extract was evaluated using the carrageenan induced foot pad eodema model in seven day old chicks. In the test for antioxidant activity, a DPPH radical scavenging assay was performed. Antimicrobial evaluation of the extract was done using the agar well diffusion and micro-dilution assays. The hydro-alcoholic stem bark extract (30-300mg/kg, p.o) dose dependently inhibited carrageenan induced foot eodema with maximum inhibition of 68.57±3.342% (300mg/kg) which was comparable to that of diclofenac (71.56±3.43% at 100mg/kg) and dexamethasone (74.53±5.21% at 3mg/kg). The extract also showed antibacterial activity against both gram positive and negative organisms. The most sensitive pathogenic strains inhibited by the extract were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumonae and Staphylococus aureus with respective zones of inhibition of 14.33±0.33, 12.33±0.33, 17.33±0.67 and 15.0±0.58mm. The MIC’s ranged between 250-1000µg/ml. The lowest MIC of 250µg/ml was recorded for Klebsiella pneumonae. The anti-inflammatory activities and antimicrobial activities of the stem bark were highest in it chloroform fraction. The activities shown by the extract in this study may be due to the presence of phytosterols, triterpenes, tannins, flavonoids and glycosides which were found in the phytochemical screening of the powdered stem bark. The present study validates the traditional uses of the plant in the treatment of inflammation and infectious diseases.

Pages: 38-44  |  2812 Views  608 Downloads


Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry
How to cite this article:
Amponsah IK*, Fleischer TC, Annan K, Dickson RA, Sarpong FM. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the stem bark extract and fractions of Ficus exasperata Vahl. (Moraceae). J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2013;2(3):38-44.

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