Aparna S et al
journal de Afrikana, 2015, 2(3); 44-52
ISSN; 2411-1376
Original Research Article
Title: Skeletal Muscle Relaxant Activity of Aqueous Extract of Carica Papaya Leaves on Wistar Rats Aparna S* Gopala Krishna Ch, Gopi M, Ashok Kumar D, Fathima Sk Sudhakar Babu A M S Department of Pharmacology, A M Reddy Memorial College of Pharmacy, Petlurivaripalem, Narasaraopet, Guntur [DT], Andhra Pradesh.522601.
Corresponding Author:
Abstract: Skeletal muscle relaxant activity of the aqueous leaf extract of Carica Papaya was investigated by testing the effects of the extract on wistar rat using rota-rod apparatus model, inclined screen test, climbing test. Experiments were carried out on male rat and the animals were randomly allotted to the different control and test groups. The extracts (aqueous) contain alkaloids, carpine, pseudocarpine, glycosides, saponin, and flavonoids. It was found
Aparna S Contact:
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that aqueous extracts up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight, did not show any toxic manifestations or death. The extract was administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg. Diazepam in a dose of 4 mg/kg (s.c.) was used as a standard. Aqueous extract at the dose
Article Statistics Received: 22nd Oct 2015
level of 200 mg/kg body weight showed significant skeletal muscle relaxant activity. On the bases of these results we can conclude that
Revised: 1st Nov 2015
the Carica papaya may be used to develop herbal medicines
Accepted: 7th Nov 2015
against the same.
ISSN; 2411-1376
Key Words: Carica papaya, Muscle relaxant, Rota-rod, Flavonoids, Diazepam
Site this Article: Aparna S Gopala Krishna Ch, Gopi M, Ashok Kumar D, Fathima Sk Sudhakar Babu A M S, Skeletal Muscle Relaxant Activity of Aqueous Extract of Carica Papaya Leaves on Wistar Rats, journal de afrikana, 2015, 2(3); 44-52. © journal de afrikana
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Aparna S et al
journal de Afrikana, 2015, 2(3); 44-52
Introduction:
evaluate the skeletal muscle relaxant
In recent years, there has been an
activity of the aqueous extract of leaves of
increasing interest worldwide in the use of
Carica papaya
herbal plants as health supplements or medicines. Systematic studies on the effect
MATERIALS AND METHODS
of specific medicinal herbs on the immune
Collection and authentication of plant
system are designed to obtain evidence-
material
based
the
The leaves of plant Carica papaya was
appropriate use of traditional medicinal
collected from the Department of botany,
herbs. Carica papaya, papaya is a giant
A N U University, Guntur.
scientific
knowledge
on
herbaceous plant--resembling a tree but not
woody--in
the
Caricaceae
that
Extraction
originated in Central America and is now
The extraction is done through sox let
grown in tropical areas world-wide for its
apparatus made from thick filter paper,
large, sweet, melon-like fruits. The papaya
which was then loaded into the main
plant has a hollow, green or purple stem,
chamber of the Sox let extractor solvent
and can grow 1.8 to 3 m (6 to 10 ft) in a
(aqueous 500 ml) The Soxhlet was then
year, eventually reaching heights of 6 to 9
equipped with a condenser. The solvent
m (20 to 30 ft) and usually dioecious plant.
was heated to reflux. The chamber
The
leaves,
containing the solid material was slowly
which may be 30 to 105 cm long (1 to 3.5
filled with warm solvent to dissolve some
ft) and 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) wide, are
of the desired compoundsiphonside arm,
deeply divided into 5 to 9 main segments,
with the solvent running back down to the
which are further lobed. Both leaves and
distillation flask. This cycle was allowed
stems contain large amounts of white,
to repeat many times, over 36 hrs. During
milky latex.
the
each cycle, a portion of the non-volatile
have
compound dissolved in the solvent. The
that
extract was passed through a filter paper.
obtained from the Carica papaya have
The filtrates were concentrated with a
been used in traditional medicine for their
vacuum pump at 40°C, giving a yield of
anti-inflammatory,
and
7.93%, which was stored in universal
abortifacient. In addition, clinical use of
bottles and refrigerated at 4°C prior to use.
papaya leaves for treating anti-microbial,
The sample (powder of Carica papaya 40
anti-tumor, thrombocytopenia, have been
gm.) was weighed and placed in the
long-petioled
(stemmed)
Carica
first transgenic fruit
papaya was tree to
its genome deciphered The
leaves
antipyretic
described. In the present work is to 45
Aparna S et al
journal de Afrikana, 2015, 2(3); 44-52
thimble. The extractor was then placed
study the acute toxic effects and to
onto a flask containing the extraction.
determine the minimum lethal doses of the drug extract
14-16
. Male wistar rats150-200
Phytochemical screening
g was used for the study. The aqueous
Qualitative tests for the presence of plant
extract
secondary metabolites such as alkaloids,
overnight fasted animals at doses of 200
flavonoids,
mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, 750 mg/kg, 1000
proteins,
saponins
and
glycosides were carried out on the leaf powdered using standard procedures.
was
administered
orally
to
17
mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg of body weight . After administration of the extracts, the animals were observed continuously for
Animals used Adult Albino rats (Wistar strain) of either sex with weighing 100-150 g were used. The animals were maintained on the suitable nutritional and environmental
the first
two hours, for any toxic
manifestation.
Thereafter,
observations
were made at regular intervals for 48 hours. Further the animals were under investigation up to a period of 2 week.
condition throughout the experiment. The animals were housed in polypropylene cages with paddy house bedding under standard laboratory condition for an acclimatization periods of 7 days prior to performing the experiment. The animals were fed with commercially available rat pelleted diet. Water was allowed ad libitum under strict hygienic conditions. The experimental protocols were duly approved by the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee, (IAEC, Approval No CPCSEA/ORG/CH/2008/Reg no. 1219) A M Reddy Memorial College of Pharmacy, Petlurivaripalem, Narasaraopet, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
Rota-rod
apparatus
test
(motor
coordination) Rats were divided into three groups consisting of five animals each. Group I served as control which received 1% acacia. Animals of group II received standard drug Diazepam at a dose of (4 mg/kg, i.p.). Group III received the aqueous extract of Carica papaya orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg. Animals remaining on Rota-Rod (22 rpm) 2 min or more in low
successive
trials
after
the
administration of test material or control vehicle the same test of 30 min for 2 hr. The fall off time from the rotating rod was noted. The difference in the fall off time
Acute toxicity studies Acute toxicity studies were carried out following OECD guideline no. 425 to
from the rotating rod between the control and treated rats was taken as an index of muscle relaxation. 46
Aparna S et al
journal de Afrikana, 2015, 2(3); 44-52
Inclined screen test
animals were used as the control and data
Each group of rats (n=5) were left for 1hr on
from diazepam treated animals were used as
a flat, slippery, rectangular glass (42cm ×
standard values. All values are expressed as
37cm) inclined at 30º to the horizontal, 30
Mean ± S.E.M. Results were regarded as
min after the administration of Carica
significant at P< 0.05.
papaya (200 mg/kg oral), Diazepam (4 mg/kg, i.p.), Acacia (1% oral) to observe for
RESULTS
a paralyzing effect severe enough to cause
Preliminary phytochemical studies
the rats to slide off the screen.
The preliminary phytochemical screening of aqueous extract shows the presence of
Climbing test
glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins
Male rats were trained to climb a chain, 50
and proteins.
cm long by placing the fore paws of each one on the free end of the chain. The chain
Acute toxicity studies
was suspended form a clamp standing on a
Acute toxicity studies were carried out to
laboratory bench. A normal rat grasped the
evaluate the drug’s toxicity and to determine
chain with the fore paws and allowed to
the minimum lethal dose of the drug
hang free, placed the two feet on chain and
extracts, using wistar rats. It was found that
climbed till it got a marked point 2 cm to the
aqueous extracts up to a dose of 1000 mg/kg
top of the chain. Rats, which got to the mark
body weight, did not show any toxic
within 30 sec, were selected for the further
manifestations or death. It shows toxicity at
tests. Previously screened rats were used for
a dose of 2000 mg/kg. So according to
the test, 30 min. after administration of
OECD guidelines no.425 the therapeutic
Carica papaya (200 mg/kg, oral), Diazepam
dose is 1/10 of toxic dose the therapeutic
(4 mg/kg, i.p.), Acacia (1% oral) to different
dose was calculated which was 200 mg.kg.
th
groups (n=5). Skeletal muscle relaxant activity (motor Statistical analysis
coordination)
All the values were statistically analyzed by
The skeletal muscle relaxant effect of
one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)
methanolic extract of Carica papaya leaves
followed by Dunnett multiple comparison
has been shown in Fig 1, 2 and 3. Treatment
test. Data from distilled water treated
with extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg and 47
Aparna S et al
journal de Afrikana, 2015, 2(3); 44-52
Diazepam at dose of 4 mg/kg decreased fall
control group. A highly significant *P
