Investigation of Phytochemical Constituents, Antioxidant Potential, In vivo Antidiarrheal, and Neuropharmacological Activities of Oxyspora paniculata Leaves

Objective: Despite having extensive ethnopharmacological applications, Oxyspora paniculata's bioactivity and the phytoconstituents that give it that bioactivity was not well studied. The goal of this work was to investigate the antioxidants, antidiarrheal, antidepressant, and antianxiety activities of Oxyspora paniculata, as well as phytochemical screening.

Materials and Methods: Qualitative Phytochemical screening was carried out by using appropriate methods. DPPH radical scavenging assay, total phenol content, and reducing power assay were utilized for investigating antioxidant properties. Castor oil induced diarrhea and GI motility test were used to check the antidiarrheal efficacy. In intact mice, the hole board test and elevated plus-maze (EPM) test measured anxiolytic activity. The forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) measured antidepressant activity by immobility time.

Results: Oxyspora paniculata had many important phytochemicals, such as alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, proteins, tannins, and more. In the in vitro DPPH scavenging activity model, half-inhibition concentration (IC50) of plant sample for free radicals is 14.197μg/ml, which is significant compared to ascorbic acid's 134.82μg/ml. In the Reducing Power Assay, the total phenol content of Oxyspora paniculata leaves was significantly higher (584.0085 ± 1.7285μg/ml). The percent of inhibition defecation for dose MEOP 200 mg/kg is 76% and for MEOP 400 mg/kg is 88.31% in terms of castor oil-induced anti-diarrheal activity. In contrast, the peristalsis index for 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg are 74.66% and 56.40% and the percent of inhibition for 200 mg/kg is 26.48% and 400 mg/kg is 41.72% in case of G.I Motility of anti-diarrheal activity. In the in vivo Anxiolytic activity model, MEOP showed substantial (p < 0.01) anxiolytic efficacy at 400 mg/kg in the EPM test. The test extract's anxiolytic action is shown by the open arm's decreased entry at 200mg/kg (50 ± 9.354). Increased head dipping with strong anxiolytic effects at 200 mg/kg (34.33 ± 3.06) (p < 0.0001) was observed in hole board test. In the tail suspension test, MEOP showed greater antidepressant effectiveness at 200 mg/kg (96.67 ± 6.56). In forced swim test, MEOP at 200 mg/kg had the strongest anti-depressant effect (p < 0.0001) due to its short immobility period.

Conclusion: Oxyspora paniculata may treat oxidative stress, diarrhea, anxiety, and depression after comprehensive research. Further studies, such as quantitative phytochemical analysis, GC-MS/LC-MS studies, and in vivo antioxidant studies, may reveal more promising data for their activity.