Mohammad Abdur Rashid

In this study, the crude methanol extract of whole plant of Vernonia cinerea Less. has been investigated for anti-diarrheal, anxiolytic, antimicrobial and membrane stabilizing activities. Test for anti-diarrheal activity was carried out by castor oil-induced diarrhea in mice. The anxiolytic activity was examined in mice by using the hole-cross test and open field-tests (OFT). The preliminary antimicrobial activity was determined at 500 μg/disc by the disc diffusion method against a number of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and fungi. RBC membrane stabilization method was used for the evaluation of in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity. The crude methanol extract of V. cinerea showed significant and dose-dependent anti-diarrheal activity in castor oil-induced diarrhea in mice. The results showed that the crude extract significantly increased the number of hole crossing as compared to control in hole cross tests. In open field test, the extract showed significant increase in number of square crossed. The efficacy of the extract (200-400 mg/kg b.w.) was compared with standard anxiolytic drug diazepam (1 mg/kg). Furthermore, the plant extract, at 500 µg/disc exhibited moderate antimicrobial activity against Blastomyces dermatitidis (zone of inhibition = 17.7 mm) and Shigella dysenteriae (zone of inhibition = 14.0 mm). In red blood cell stability test,  the sample at 0.5 and 1 mg/ml  inhibited the heat-induced haemolysis of RBCs by 15.45% and 27.73%, respectively whereas standard acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) demonstrated 71.36% inhibition of haemolysis. The obtained results provide supports for the use of this plant in traditional medicine but further pharmacologic studies are required to isolate and identify the bioactive molecules.