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Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1871-5230
ISSN (Online): 1875-614X

Research Article

Pharmacological Evaluation of Antiasthmatic Activity of Myrica nagi Bark Extracts

Author(s): Rinu K. Rana and Rakesh K. Patel

Volume 15, Issue 2, 2016

Page: [145 - 152] Pages: 8

DOI: 10.2174/1871523015666160923154547

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: The involvement of debilitating side effects of allopathic antiasthmatic drugs provides a strong impetus for the development of new herbal therapeutics. Myrica nagi Thunb. (Syn. Kaiphal) of Myricaceae family is a known drug of the Ayurveda system used for the treatment of several diseases including asthma.

Methods: The present study deals with the preparation and phytochemical screening of polar, non-polar and methanolic extracts of Myrica nagi bark followed by the evaluation of their antiasthmatic activity using four different animal experimental models: acetylcholine induced bronchospasm in conscious guinea pigs, acetylcholine induced contraction on isolated guinea pig tracheal chain preparation, compound 48/80 induced mast cell degranulation using rat, and trypsin and egg albumin induced bronchospasm in conscious rat.

Results: Polar extract of M. nagi bark (200 mg/kg, p.o.) exerted strong antiasthmatic effects near to Ketotifen (1 mg/kg, p.o) as standard drug. Polar extract of M. nagi bark (200 µg/ml) significantly inhibited Ach induced contraction of isolated guinea pig tracheal chain preparation. Pre-incubation of rat peritoneal mast cells with test drugs (methanolic, non polar and polar extracts) showed dose dependent significant reduction of % mast cell degranulation. Polar extract (200mg/kg) & Methanolic extract (200mg/kg) of M. nagi bark treated animals showed significantly lesser serum bicarbonate level, higher tidal volume, lower level of eosinophils and neutrophils.

Conclusion: The results of present investigation suggest that the polar extracts of Myrica nagi bark have better antiasthmatic activity than the non polar and methanolic extract.

Keywords: Asthma, bronchospasm, compound 48/80, Myrica nagi.

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