Antiallergic and antihistaminic actions of Ceasalpinia bonducella seeds: Possible role in treatment of asthma

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Seed kernel of the plant Ceasalpinia bonducella Linn (Caesalpiniacaeae) are used for the treatment of asthma in folk medicine and ancient books.

Aim of study: To assess the pharmacological efficacy of the plant in asthma and to confine and describe the synthetic constituents from the seeds that are in charge of the action.

Material and methods: The viability of petroleum ether, ethanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of C. bonducella seeds were screened for the treatment of asthma by various methods viz. effect of test drug on clonidine and haloperidol induced catalepsy, milk-induced leukocytosis and eosinophilia, mast cell stabilizing activity in mice and studies on smooth muscle preparation of guinea pig ileum (in-vitro). Column chromatography of active extract was done to pinpoint the active compound followed by structure elucidation by FTIR, GCMS and NMR spectroscopic methods.

Results: Ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of C. bonducella seeds exhibited antihistaminic activity at the dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg, inhibited clonidine-induced catalepsy but not haloperidol-induced catalepsy. Ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract significantly inhibited increased leukocyte and eosinophil count due to milk allergen and showed maximum protection against mast cell degranulation by clonidine. The results of guinea pig ileum indicated that the compound 2 methyl, 1 hexadecanol isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of ethanol extract relaxed significantly the ileum muscle strips pre-contracted by which suggests the involvement of β₂-agonists on the relaxation of the tissue. All the results are dose dependent. Active ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract showed presence of anti-asthmatic compound, 2-methyl, 1-hexadecanol.

Conclusion: The ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of seeds of the plant C. bonducella can inhibit parameters linked to asthma disease.

Keywords: Caesalpinia bonducella; Catalepsy; Eosinophil; Guinea pig ileum; Mast cell degranulation.