Evaluation of pharmacological activities of traditional herbal drug Ocimum sanctum in rats

Abstract

Ocimum sanctum is a traditional herbal plant possessing numerous pharmacological and therapeutic properties. The present study was carried out to evaluate antipyretic, analgesic and anti-ulcerogenic properties of Ocimum sanctum (500 and 1000mg kg^-1b.wt^-1) in model system of rats. Drug Indomethacin (10mg kg^-1b.wt^-1) was used as a reference drug. Animals were randomly allocated in four groups consisting of six animals each. Group I was control group which received normal saline 0.09%; Group II received O.sanctum (500mg kg^-1b.wt^-1) and Group III was administered with 1000mg kg^-1b.wt^-1 O.sanctum; Group IV received Indomethacin (10mg kg^-1b.wt^-1). Hot plate reaction test was used for determining the analgesic activity, acetic acid test was used to evaluate the writhing response, yeast induced pyrexia was used for determining the antipyretic activity test in control and experimental rats. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA to determine significant differences between groups followed by student’s Newman-keul’s test *p<0.05 implied significance. Rats were fasted to induce ulcer and then effect of O.sanctum was evaluated. Ocimum sanctum at both the doses was found to possess analgesic, antipyretic, anti- ulcerogenic activities experimental rats and O.sanctum at a dose of 1000mg kg^-1b.wt^-1 was found to be significantly effective than the other dose.