STUDY OF PHYTOCHEMICALS AND ANTIPYRETIC ACTIVITY OF STERCULIA URENS BARK EXTRACT
Pragya Arya, Dr. Harpreet Kaur Khanuja*
ABSTRACT
Background: Sterculia urens Roxb., commonly known as Indian gum karaya or ghost tree, is a traditional medicinal plant extensively used in folk medicine for treating fever and inflammatory conditions. Despite its widespread ethnopharmacological use, limited scientific evidence exists regarding its phytochemical composition and antipyretic properties.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical constituents of S. urens bark extract and evaluate its antipyretic activity using experimental models.Methods: The bark of S. urens was extracted using methanol and subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed for detailed phytochemical analysis. Antipyretic activity was evaluated using yeast-induced pyrexia model in Wistar albino rats at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight. Paracetamol (150 mg/kg) served as the standard reference drug.Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenolic compounds, and triterpenoids. HPLC analysis identified gallic acid (2.34 ± 0.12 mg/g), quercetin (1.87 ± 0.08 mg/g), and rutin (3.21 ± 0.15 mg/g) as major constituents. GC-MS analysis detected 23 bioactive compounds, with β-sitosterol (12.3%), palmitic acid (8.7%), and oleic acid (6.4%) being predominant. The extract demonstrated significant dose-dependent antipyretic activity (p < 0.01), with the 400 mg/kg dose showing maximum temperature reduction of 2.8 ± 0.2°C at 3 hours post-administration, comparable to paracetamol (3.1 ± 0.1°C).Conclusion: S. urens bark extract possesses potent antipyretic activity, likely attributed to its rich phenolic and flavonoid content. These findings validate the traditional use of S. urens in fever management and support its potential development as a natural antipyretic agent.
Keywords: Sterculia urens, phytochemicals, antipyretic activity, bark extract, traditional medicine, fever.
[Full Text Article]
[Download Certificate]
Impact Factor : 8.181 
