INHIBITION OF PROTEIN DENATURATION BY EXTRACTS OF LEAVES, STEMS AND ROOTS OF PISONIA GRANDIS R.Br.

Abstract

Pisonia grandis R.Br. is a rural folkloric medicinal plant of Nyctaginaceae family and has been extensively used as an anti-diabetic and anti- inflammatory agent.The present study is aimed to evaluate the in-vitro anti-arthritic activity of the solvent extracts and the column fractionates of this plant. Denaturation of tissue protein is a proven cause of inflammatory and arthritic diseases. Inhibition of protein denaturation is a measure of anti arthritic activity. The petroleum-ether and ethanol extract concentrates of leaves, stems and roots of Pisonia grandis exhibited inhibition of protein denaturation. Among the extract concentrates of Pisonia grandis the non-polar extract concentrate of leaves of Pisonia grandis exhibited a 90 % inhibition of protein denaturation at 50 µg/ml concentration, comparable with that of standard drug Diclofenac sodium. The commercially well-known anti-arthritic drug palmitic acid showed 76% inhibition only at 800µg/ml. Column chromatographic analysis of petroleum ether extract of Pisonia grandis led to the isolation of stigmasterol which showed 66% inhibition of protein denaturation at 800µg/ml.