EVALUATION OF MUSCLE RELAXANT AND LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITIES OF MALPIGHIA EMARGINATA AND HOLOPTELIA INTEGRIFOLIA

The present study was designed to evaluate the muscle relaxant and locomotor activities of petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EA) and methanolic (MA) extracts of Malpighia emarginata (ME) and Holoptelia integrifolia (HI). The different concentrations were used to evaluate the toxicity in rats and revealed that they are nontoxic up to 2000 mg/kg. From the toxicity study, 200 and 400 mg/kg doses were selected for the pharmacological activities. Muscle relaxant and locomotor activities were done by Rotarod and Actophotometer respectively. The leaves and fruit extracts of PEME, EAME, and MAME with 200 and 400 mg/kg were showed a significant reduction in the time spent by the animals on the revolving rod when compared to the control (P<0.01, P<0.001) at 2 h. The MAHI of leaves and bark extracts (200 and 400 mg/kg) were more significant towards muscle relaxant effect (P<0.01, P<0.001) than PEHI and EAHI (P<0.05, P<0.01) when compared with control at 1 h. Treatment with both doses of leaves and fruit extracts PEME, EAME and MAME significantly (P<0.01, P<0.001) reduced the number of movements was observed at 2 and 3^rd h when compared with control. The leaves and bark extracts of PEHI, EAHI and MAHI shown significant (P<0.05) reduction in locomotor activity at 1 and 3 h with 400 mg/kg whereas treatment with 200, 400 mg/kg and diazepam significantly reduced (P<0.01, P<0.001) when compared with control at 2 h. From the above results, we concluded that both the plants have potent muscle relaxant and depressant activities.