Evaluation of Antitussive Activity of Alternanthera sessilis

A. Venkatesh¹*, K. Silambujanaki¹, D. Raju¹ and A. Elumalai²

¹Department of Pharmacology, ²Department of Pharmacognosy, SRM College of Pharmacy, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram Dt, Tamil Nadu, India, 603 319.

ABSTRACT:

The aim of the present study was to look at the antitussive activity of the ethanol extract of Alternanthera sessilis whole plant (EAS) by Sulfur dioxide gas induce model in mice. Results were revealed that the MESI was found to produce significant antitussive activity when compared with control and codeine phosphate in a dose dependent manner. The EAS produced 51.1 and 29.2% inhibition of SO2 induced cough at doses of 250 and 500mg/kg respectively the standard antitussive drug codeine phosphate(10 and 20mg/kg.p.o) showed 45.2 and 25.3 % inhibition respectively.

KEYWORDS: Alternanthera sessilis, antitussive activity, Sulfur dioxide gas induce model in mice.

1.INTRODUCTION:

Cough is a protective reflex, its purpose being expulsion of respiratory secretions or foreign particles from air passages and is a symptom of respiratory illness that prevents talking and cause chest and thorax pain. It occurs due to stimulation of mechano or chemo receptors in throat, respiratory passages or stretch receptors in the lungs¹. A number of drugs reduce cough as a result of their central actions, although the exact mechanism still are not entirely clear. Included among them are the opioid analgesics codeine and hydrocodone most commonly used to suppress cough. A 10 or 20mg oral dose of codeine although in effective for analgesia, produces a demonstrable antitussive effect and higher doses produce even more suppression of cough².

However, their use brings about side effects such as increase in mucous viscosity, decrease of expectoration, hypotension or constipation and drug dependence³. Therefore, in recent years much effort has been made to search for natural plants with nil adverse effects. In traditional Indian medicines, many plants are recorded to treat respiratory complaints such as cough, asthma, bronchial affections, pneumonia and expectoration which have been used for hundreds of years. However, it still cannot be accepted by most advanced countries as therapeutic agents. The major reason is lack of chemical and pharmacological evaluation on them.

Alternanthera sessilis Linn (Amaranthaceae) is an annual or perennial prostate herb with several spreading branches, bearing short petioled simple leaves and small white flowers, found throughout the hotter part of India, ascending to an altitude of 1200m^4,5. The plant consists of α and β spinasterol⁶, lupeal isolated from roots⁷. Plant also contains β- sitosterol, stigmasterol etc. In the indigenous system of medicine the herb has been reported to be used in eye diseases, cuts, wounds and antidote to snake bite; skin diseases^8-11. . Literature review also indicated that antitussive activity of this species has not been clinically evaluated so far. In this swot up, the antitussive effect of ethanol extract in whole plant of Alternanthera sessilis is evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Collection and authentication of plant materials

Whole plant parts of Alternanthera sessilis were collected in the month of Dec 2011 from SRM Medicinal Garden, SRM College of Pharmacy and same were authenticated by Dr. P.Jayaraman, Taxonomist, PARC, Tambaram (voucher specimen PARC/2011/614) shade dried and powdered then passed from 40# mesh size.

Preparation of extracts:

Around 1 kg fresh shade dried whole plant parts were powdered and around 800 gms were extracted by hot percolation method by soxhlet apparatus with five litres of ethanol and the extracts finally reduced to dryness at 40^o C by Rotovapour (Rotavapour Buchii, Switzerland). The quantity of extract after extraction was 21.24 Gms.

Animals used:

White albino mice of either sex weighing between 60-80g were used for this experiment. The animals were housed in polypropylene cages under standard conditions of temperature (22 ± 2°C) relative humidity (60 ± 5%) and light (12 h light/dark cycles) were used. They were fed with standard diet and water. The food was withdrawn 18 hours before the experiment but allowed free access of water. All the experimental procedures and protocols used in the study were approved by Institutional Animal Ethical Committee (IAEC) and Proposal No is IAEC/SRM/ 129/2011.

Antitussive activity by sulfur dioxide gas induced cough reflex in mice^12:

The antitussive effects of extract were examined using the standard method (Miyagoshi et al., 1986). A burette containing concentrated sulphuric acid was fixed to 500ml.Three necked flasks containing aqueous saturated sodium hydrogen sulphite solution and the acid were added to this solution to generate sulphur dioxide gas.

2 NaHSO₃ + H₂SO₄ + 2 SO₂ + Na₂SO₄+ 2 H₂O

A sulphur dioxide gas reservoir had been created previously and by opening cocks, pressure in the gas reservoir was evaluated and recorded using a water manometer. The extract and codeine were orally administered to mice. Group-1 received the Tween 80 (10ml/kg p.o) Group 2 and 3 were treated with EAS (250 and 500mg/kg p.o) Group 4 treated with standard codeine phosphate 10mg and 20mg/kg p.o respectively. After 30 min., the mice were exposed to sulphur dioxide in 10ml of H2O in a desiccator. After 20s the mice were taken out of the desiccator and placed in an up in an up ended filter funnel with a stethoscope at the tip and frequency of cough was observed for 5 min.

Statistical analysis:

The results of pharmacological studies were reported as Mean ± S.E.M. The total variations present in data were analyzed by using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett’s Test.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The effect of EAS on sulfur dioxide-induced cough in experimental animals of each group was shown in table 1 and % inhibition in fig. 1. It was observed that on exposure to sulfur dioxide gas, the frequency of cough of control group remains nearly constant. It was found that the codeine phosphate and EAS produced maximum inhibition of cough reflex at 20 min after drug administration. The EAS produced 45.71 and 67.14% inhibition of SO2 induced cough at doses of 250 and 500mg/kg respectively the standard antitussive drug codeine phosphate(10 and 20mg/kg.p.o) showed 45.2 and 71.3 % inhibition respectively (Table 1).

Table 1: Effect of EAS on SO₂ induced cough in mice

Treatment	Dose	Frequency of cough	% Inhibition
Control (Tween 80)	(10ml/kg.p.o)	80±1.4	---
EAS	250mg/kg.p.o	51 ± 2.1*	45.71
EAS	500mg/kg.p.o	29 ± 1.5*	67.14
Codeine phosphate	10mg/kg.p.o	45 ± 1.7*	45.2
Codeine phosphate	20mg/kg.p.o	25 ± 2.1*	71.3

Values are mean ± S.E.M., n=5

Figure 1: Effect of EAS on SO₂ induced cough in mice

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Authors are gratefully thanks to Mrs. Malliga Arumugam for her hold up in this project.

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Received on 17.05.2012

Modified on 26.05.2012

Accepted on 30.05.2012

Research J. Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics. 4(4): July –August, 2012, 233-235