• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.153-156
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• 2006

The antisnake venom activity of Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. (Fam. Verbenaceae), a plant traditionally used in India for the treatment of snake bite was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo methods. While in vitro studies were performed using human blood, in vivo studies were carried out using mice administered three different i.p doses of the extract, 5 min before the administration of Naja naja snake venom. The results of the in vitro studies showed that the extract probably interacts with but does not stabilize membrane protein. In the in vivo studies the extract showed significant antisnake venom activity, which may be attributed to its possible interference with the acetylcholine receptor sites. Hence the present investigation justifies the traditional use of Clerodendrum viscosum (C. viscosum) as antisnake venom.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.79-84
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• 2006

This study presents a detailed pharmacognostical study of the root and leaf of the crude drug Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. (Verbenaceae), an important plant in the Indian system of medicine. The root and leaf samples were studied using light and confocal microscopy, WHO recommended-physicochemical determinations, and authentic phytochemical procedures. The physicochemical, morphological, and histological parameters presented in this paper may be proposed as parameters to establish the authenticity of C. viscosum root and leaf, and may possibly help to differentiate the drug from its other species.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.319-323
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• 2006

The crude ethanolic extract of the leaves of Clerodendrum viscosum (Family: Verbenaceae) was evaluated for its antioxidant and analgesic activities to investigate the scientific basis of the traditional uses. The antioxidant property of the extract was assessed by 1, 1-diphenyl -2- picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The extract showed prominent antioxidant activity ($IC_{50}about{\sim}16{\mu}g/ml$) which was comparable to standard drug ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}about{\sim}15{\mu}g/ml$).The extract produced significant (P<0.001) writhing inhibition in acetic acid induced writhing in mice at the dose of 125 mg, 250 mg and 500 mg/kg body weight respectively, which were comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium. The results tend to suggest that the crude leaves extract at the above doses have antioxidant and analgesic activities and indicate that it might possess biologically active constituents having free radical scavenging and analgesic activities respectably.