Evaluation of phytochemical pharmacological and biological activities of houttuynia cordata thunb

Abstract

Pharmacognostic studies - Macroscopic and microscopic characters of H. cordata samples have revealed distinct morphological and anatomical characters which will be useful for correct identification and authentication of H. cordata as distinct crude drug source. Present pharmacognostic data will further help in detection of adulteration of H. cordata with closely related or other botanical species of similar morphological characters. Maximum crude drug yield was obtained using methanol as extractive solvent and thus, proven methanol as best solvent for extraction and further fractionation of several bioactive phytocompounds of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical interests from H. cordata. The microbial load and heavy metal contents in H. cordata samples were found within WHO recommended range indicating safety and purity of the H. cordata as nutraceutical agent. newlineMaximum extractive values of H. cordata were obtained using methanol as extractive solvent (24.69±0.97 %) which is followed by water (16.22±1.03 %), ethanol (13.11±0.83 %) while chloroform has shown least extractive value (9.02±1.03). Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed that methanolic extract of H. cordata (MEHC) has showed maximum presence (++ to +++) of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids and glycosides, saponin, tannin, sugar, phenol, terpenoids, triterpenoids, gums and mucilages, volatile oil, amino acids, fixed oil and fats while lesser concentration were observed in hexane, chloroform, ethanol and water extract of H. cordata. Thus, methanol was selected as superior solvent for extraction of crude drug from H. cordata and MEHC was selected as superior extractive (crude drug yield) for further phytochemical and pharmacological activity studies. newlineIn a 14-day acute toxicity studies in Sprague Dawley female rats, an increased intake of food, water and gradual increase in body weight were observed in all MEHC treated Sprague Dawley female rats while reduction of body weight was not observed.