Biological activities of crude leaf extract and fractions of Scutellaria sibthorpii (Benth.) Halácsy: An endemic plant of North-Cyprus.

Scutellaria sibthorpii is used in treatment of bacterial infections, pains and inflammations. The leaf was extracted by maceration and then partitioned with hexane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The extract was screened for phytochemicals. The antioxidant activity was assayed using DPPH, H2O2 and ß-carotene. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu's and AlCl3. The crude extract/fractions were tested on E. coli, S. typhi, B. subtilis and S. aureus using agar disk diffusion. Lorke's method was used to determine the LD50. The analgesic activity was determined using ethanoic acid-induced writhing, hotplate and formalin-induced nociception. Anti-inflammatory activity was investigated by means of formalin-induced acute inflammation. The antipyretic activity was studied using Brewer's yeast. The ethyl acetate fraction (EtFSs) had IC50 of 0.4352mg/mL in the H2O2 and IC50 of 0.00014mg/mL. The MIC of EtFSs against S. aureus was 1.25mg/mL and 2.5mg/mL on S. typhi. LD50 of the CrESs/fractions were greater than 5000mg/Kg. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities were higher in EtFSs when compared to piroxicam. The fractions decrease the rectal temperature of the rats in the same way as paracetamol at 200mg/Kg. This research has for the first time validated the used of Scutellaria sibthorpii traditionally as analgesic, antiinflammatory and antipyretic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]