Purpose: To evaluate the anticonvulsant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of
Berberis calliobotrys
.
Methods: The powdered plant material (10 kg) was extracted thrice with methanol (3 × 12 L) by dipping
for seven days. The methanol extract was concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure, and then
successively fractionated with solvents of different polarity, including n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl
acetate and n-butanol. The anticonvulsant effect of the extract and fractions (at oral doses 500 and
1000 mg/kg) was studied against picrotoxin-, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)- and strychnine-induced seizures
in Swiss albino mice of either sex divided into 12 groups (n = 6). Diazepam was used as standard drug.
Antimicrobial activity of the extract against
Bacillus subtilis
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Staphylococcus aureus
as well as against
Candida albicans
,
Penicillium notatum
was conducted by disc diffusion
method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Cytotoxicity of the extract/fractions was analyzed
by haemolytic method while the phenolic compounds present in the ethyl acetate fraction of the plant
were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Results: The extract and its ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions showed maximum response against
drug-induced convulsions and provided 100 % protection to animals at both doses. They also showed
zones of inhibition of 27.00 ± 2.51, and 22.00 ± 2.51 mm against all bacterial and fungal strains,
respectively, especially
Staphylococcus aureus. The methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction also
showed high MIC against all bacterial and fungal strains. Cytotoxicity data from hemolytic assay indicate
that the extract/fractions are safe. The highest amount of phenolic found was chlorogenic acid (84.44 ±
0.06 ppm).
Conclusion: The plant is thus a potential source of new lead compounds for the development of new
clinically effective anticonvulsant and antimicrobial compounds.
