PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF ETHANOLIC  EXTRACT OF Berberis aristata AND ITS ACUTE TOXICITY TESTING

Radhika Sharma; Vijay Lakshmi Sharma

Volume : IV, Issue : VI, June - 2015

PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF Berberis aristata AND ITS ACUTE TOXICITY TESTING

Radhika Sharma, Vijay Lakshmi Sharma

Abstract :

 The main aim of our study is to investigate the phytochemical constituents of the ethanolic extact of Berberis aristata and to do its acute toxicity testing, as it is a potential herb that has been found to have many beneficial properties which can be utilized to treat many ailments. Plants are considered to have medicinal properties, it becomes very important to check whether they have any toxic effects associated with them which make them unsuitable for human consumption. For this purpose acute toxicity testing was done following OECD–423 guidlines by using limit test of Lorke. The results of phytochemical investigations revealed the presence of some very important secondary metabolites like alkaloids, glycosides, flavanoides and tannins and by acute toxicity testing it was found that the LD50 of B. aristata was found out to be greater than 5g per kg body weight which is the highest dose that can be given to the rodent. Safety usage of this extract in traditional medicine vis–a–vis its phytochemical consideration is discussed in this work