Pharmacological profile of <i>Caesalpinia bonducella</i> Flem

Abstract

Caesalpiniabonducella Flem. (local name: natalkanta, kutum kanta) isemployed tocure various disorders such as urinary disorders, diarrhoea, dysentery, leucorrhoea, piles, wounds, indolentulcers, skind iseases, leprosy, toothache. The present study was performed to investigate the scientific basis for the traditional uses of the crude ethanolic extract of the plant Caesalpinia bonducella. The crude extract was evaluated for its anti-nociceptive, anti-diarrhoeal and phenobarbitone-induced hypnoticeffects in mice. The extractproduced moderate inhibition of acetic acid induced writhing in mice at the dose of 250 and 500mg/kg body weight which was comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium. It decreased frequency of defecation and increased mean latent period at the dose of 500mg/kg body weight comparable to the standard drug loperamide. It also decreased the time of onset of sleep and potentiated the phenobarbitone-induced sleeping time in mice. The results suggest that the crude ethanolic extract of the plant Caesalpinia bonducella (C. bonducella) might possess antinociceptive, antidiarrhoeal andcentral nervoussystem depressantactivities.

Keywords: Caesalpinia bonducella, antinociceptive, antidiarrhoeal, central nervous system depressant

West African Journal of Pharmacology and Drug Research Vol. 20(1&2) 2005: 58-61