Phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation of Quirivelia frutescens (Apocynaceae).

Quirivelia Frutscens (Apocynaceae), also known as Kalidudhi or Shyamalata, is a much brached twining shrub of W. Bengal. Plant is used by native as wound healing, digestive etc. The present study was aimed at evaluating Quirivelia frutescens for its phytochemical and pharmacological behavior including analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. In preliminary phytochemical screening of the methanolic extract, presence of alkaloid and tannins was confirmed. The TLC was also established for the extract used in the biological screening. The methanolic extract of the stem, in a dose of 30 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg was used to study analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The analgesic activity was carried out by using Writhing test, formalin test, and hot plate method. Significant results were obtained at the dose of 120 mg/kg as observed by Writhing test (p < 0.01) by inhibiting the inflammatory edema. The result of the carrageenan induced paw edema in mice showed maximum activity at first and fourth hour after injection at the selected dose levels.