Phytochemical Investigation and Preliminary Pharmacological Screening of Alstonia scholaris R. Br. as an Antipyretic

Alstonia scholaris R.Br. is reported to possess anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antidote, antiulcers, antimicrobial activity, while anti-pyretic activity is still not scientifically investigated. The animals were fevered by injection of Brewers yeast suspension (10 mg/kg) subcutaneously in the back below the nape of the neck. The petroleum ether, chloroform and methanolic extracts were fed to fevered rats. Methanolic extract showed significantly decrease in elevated temperature; while petroleum ether and chloroform extract did not show significant activity as compared to standard drug (Paracetamol) The methanolic extract was subjected to thin layer chromatography and to column chromatography to separate the constituents and the separated 4 constituents were subjected to evaluation of antipyretic activity. It was observed that constituent 1, 2 and 4 did not show significant decrease in elevated body temperature while constituent 3 significantly reduced elevated body temperature as compared to standard drug.