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Bioactivity of Boehmeria Macrophylla (Urticaceae) leaf extract

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Abstract

Boehmeria macrophylla is a perennial herb used as folk medicine in Bangladesh for the healing of pathologic conditions like fever, trauma, dermatitis, boils etc. After phytochemical screening of ethanolic extract of B. macrophylla (Urticaceae) leaf (BMET), in vitro antioxidant activity was investigated by free radical (DPPH) scavenging assay. Total tannin, phenolic and flavonoid contents were also estimated. Analgesic, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities were evaluated by ‘acetic acid induced writhing inhibition in mice’, ‘brine shrimp lethality bioassay’ and ‘disk diffusion assay’, respectively. Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids and terpenoids. The extract showed scavenging activity with IC50 value of 39.76 μg/mL whereas IC50 was 6.86 μg/mL for ascorbic acid. The extract also showed the total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin content as 439.48, 356.84 and 395.42 mg QE/100 g of dried plant extract. BMET showed 32.91 % and 54.2 % writhing inhibition in mice at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively. BMET showed LC50 against brine shrimp nauplii at 33.16 μg/mL. The extract also showed antibacterial activity against Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus ferus. The results suggest that BMET has antioxidant, analgesic, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Pharmacy Discipline of Khulna University, Bangladesh for providing laboratory facilities and instrumental support as well as chemicals & reagents. Also we acknowledge our heartfelt thanks to the authority of “International Centre for Diarrheal Disease and Research, Bangladesh” (ICDDR, B) for providing experimental mice as well as bacterial strains. Our special thanks to the authority of Bangladesh National Herbarium (BNH) for identification of the plant. Except these, no other institution/foundation has an involvement in providing us any sort of research grant/support.

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  1. Pharmacy Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, -9208, Bangladesh

    Amir Hossain, Fahrima Islam, Md. Saifuzzaman, Md. Afjalus Siraj Saeed, Md. Khirul Islam, Gazi Md. Monjur Murshid & Md. Mustafizur Rahman

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  1. Amir Hossain
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  2. Fahrima Islam
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  3. Md. Saifuzzaman
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  4. Md. Afjalus Siraj Saeed
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  5. Md. Khirul Islam
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  6. Gazi Md. Monjur Murshid
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  7. Md. Mustafizur Rahman
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Correspondence to Md. Mustafizur Rahman.

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Hossain, A., Islam, F., Saifuzzaman, M. et al. Bioactivity of Boehmeria Macrophylla (Urticaceae) leaf extract. Orient Pharm Exp Med 16, 233–241 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-016-0230-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-016-0230-1

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