Evaluation of Anxiolytic and Antibacterial Activity of Methanol Extract of Leaves of Mimosa pudica

摘要

Background: Mimosa pudica belongs to the family of Mimosoideae. Traditional Chinese medicinal practitioners have long revered the bark, leaves and flowers of Mimosa for its potent health benefits. Limited modern scientific research has been conducted on the qualities of this plant. As part of our ongoing research of traditional medicinal plant, this study evaluated the anxiolytic and antibacterial activity of methanol extract of Mimosa pudica (MEMP) leaves. Method: The effect of MEMP on central nervous system (CNS) for anxiolytic activity was determined by mice light-dark box test, Elevated plus maze test and Hole board test. Disc diffusion assay was used to determine the antibacterial activity of MEMP. Result: Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of reducing sugar, tannin, glycoside, alkaloids and flavonoids. The present study demonstrated that MEMP showed significant anxiolytic (p<0.05) effect at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight in Light-dark box test, Elevated plus maze test. The movement of mice after administration of MEMP at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight decreased significantly in hole-board test, which indicated the high possibility of having anxiolytic activity. The MEMP showed dose-dependent antibacterial activity against the experimental bacterial strains namely Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli, and Shigella flexineri. Conclusion: The present study indicates that the MEMP extract possesses anxiolytic and antibacterial activity in a dose-dependent manner. Hence, the present work rationalizes the traditional uses of this plant. So, the plant may be further subjected to chemical investigation to isolate and purify the bioactive compound(s) responsible for its pharmacological activity.