PHARMACEUTICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON SALACIA MACROSPERMA-1

The chloroform, ethanol (95%) and aqueous extracts of roots of Salacia macrosperma (Hippocrataceae) were prepared by double maceration followed by vacuum evaporation. All the extracts were subjects to qualitative chemical tests to find out phytoconstituents present in them. The ethanolic extract showed significant hypoglycemic activity in fasted rabbits. The activity of ethanolic extract was also evaluated in alloxan induced hyperglycemic albino rats. It showed a mean blood sugar level reduction of 89.22 mg/100 ml which was significant when compared with mean variation in blood sugar levels of control group. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts were screened for their effect on both normal and hypodynamic isolated frog heart. Alcoholic extract showed considerable positive ionotropic activity and increased cardiac output without affecting heart rate both in normal and hypodynamic isolated frog heart.