Ethnopharmacological investigation of the spice Grewia paniculata

The present study was carried out for pharmacological and chemical investigations on various crude extracts of Grewia paniculata bark and leaf. The phytochemical screening of all the extracts demonstrated the presence of carbohydrates, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, proteins, steroids and alkaloids. The analgesic activity was performed by acetic acid-induced writhing method, hot plate and tail immersion method in mice. The CNS depressant activity was evaluated by using hole cross, open field and thiopental induced sleeping time tests.The antidiarrhoeal activity was observed by castor oil induced diarrhoeal method. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay the extract exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity. In disc diffusion method the extracts displayed moderate activity against tested bacteria. These preliminary screening justify the traditional use of this medicinal plant.