Pharmacognostic and antidysentery screening of mixed ethanol leaf extract of Parkia biglobosa and Acanthus montanus (50:50)

Introduction: Parkia biglobosa belong to the family mimosaceae and Acanthus montanus belong to the family acanthaceae. The plants both have a multipurpose use as herbal medicine.

Aim: This work investigate the pharmacognostic standard and anti-dysentery activity of the mixed ethanol extract of both plants on E. histolytical induced dysentery.

Method: The phytochemical, chemo microscopy and proximate analysis were carried out using the standard procedures. The mixed extract of ratio 50:50 was administered to different groups of rats at different doses. Loperamide was administered as standard drug. The change in faecal consistency was observed and recorded.

Result: The phytochemical analysis shows the presence of alkaloids, tannins, proteins, glycosides and carbohydrates. Chemomicroscopy of both plants showed the presence of starch, calcium oxalate, lignin, cellulose. While the extractive value analysis gave 25.0% and 32.7% for water extractive value and ethanol extractive value respectively (for Acanthus montanus) and 23.0% and 30.0% for water extractive value and ethanol extractive value respectively (for Parkiabiglobosa).

The absence of death at 5000mg/kg of the extract shows that the lethal dose of the ethanol extract of the plant mixture is higher than 5000mg/kg which may be an indication of safety of the mixture.

The anti-dysentery activity of the mixture of both plants with different concentration of 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg, 1000mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract showed a significant change in the faecal consistency of the rats. The effect obtained on the administration of 500mg/kg body weight of the extract mixture is more comparable to the standard (loperamide).

Conclusion: The synergistic use of the extract contains the secondary metabolites glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, which may be responsible for their anti-dysentery synergistic activity. Mixed extracts from both leaves of P. biglobosa and A. montanus can be recommended as an anti-dysentery agent.