HYPOGLYCEMIC, CELL MEMBRANE STABILITY, THROMBOLYTIC, TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT AND FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITIES OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ZIZIPHUS MAURITIANA FRUITS (RHAMNACEAE)

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate in vitro free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content; hypoglycemic activity, cell membrane stabilizing activity and thrombolytic activity in mice model of methanolic crude extract of Ziziphus mauritiana fruits. The coarse powder of dried fruits was soaked with methanol for several days with occasional stirring. After that it was extracted at room temperature and dried extract was partitioned into pet ether, chloroform, carbontetrachloride and aqueous soluble fraction. Among all the fractions, aqueous soluble fraction revealed highest free radical scavenging activity having IC50 value 26.77 µg/ml flowed by chloroform soluble fraction of 43.46 µg/ml with respect to BHT having IC50 value 24 µg/ml. The amount of total phenolic content of different extractives ranged from 29.30 mg to 52.18 mg of GAE / g of extractives of Z. mauritiana and pet ether soluble fraction showed the highest phenolic content 52.18 mg of GAE / g of extractives. Crude extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight moderately lowered the blood glucose level after 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd hour having 37.81, 43.65 and 44.4 percent of fall of blood glucose level and exhibited highest thrombolytic activity 50.22 % clot lysis in mice model. In hypotonic solution induced condition carbontetrachloride and pet-ether soluble fraction inhibited 54.55 % and 52.8 % haemolysis of RBC with respect to 69.9 % revealed by acetyl salicylic acid (0.10 mg/mL); heat induced condition crude extract, pet ether and aqueous soluble faction revealed moderate inhibition about 29.39, 30.90 % and 28.19 % compared with 40.20 % inhibition by acetyl salicylic acid in heat induced condition.