ABSTRACT:
Paris polyphylla Smith (Melanthiaceae) is a perennial herb used in the treatment of Cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Traditionally, this plant is used as an anti-oxidant and anti-microbial agent by some local tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pharmacological potential with special reference to the pychopharmacological, antipyretic and analgesic activities of Rhizoma paridis (rhizome of Paris polyphylla) crude extracts collected from Dirang, West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh (Latitude: N 27 21' 30.39; Longitude E 92 14 27.2) in in-vive rat models and to validate the active phytoconstituents responsible for such pharmacological activities. Methanolic extract of the rhizome was induced in Wistar Albino rats weighing from 100-200g for pharmacological and phytochemical studies. The studies revealed the effectiveness of methanolic extracts of Rhizoma Paridis on phenobarbitone induced sleeping time with the maximum sleeping time of 109 2e13 minutes with a dose level of 300mg/Kg which was higher than the standard chlorpromazine drug Anti-pyretic study revealed that the extract had the capacity to reduce fever with the maximum reduction of 38.01s0.49 C to 36.2:0.53 C, with a dose level of 300mg/Kg which was comparable with paracetamol drug. The analgesic study revealed that the percentage inhibition for acetic acid induced writhing number of the extract was 80 with a dose level of 300mg/Kg which was higher than standard ibuprofen drug. The phytochemical study through qualitative, quantitative and GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of relevant compounds which are probably synergistically responsible for psychopharmacological, antipyretic and analgesic properties. The results were analyzed and compared statistically using Origin 8 software. The pharmacological efficacies of the root extract of Paris polyphylla Smith from Arunachal Pradesh shown in the present study validates the local claims about traditional uses of the plant against certain ailments.