| RESEARCH PAPER |
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| Year : 2004 | Volume
: 36
| Issue : 6 | Page : 348-350 |
Possible anorectic effect of methanol extract of Benincasa hispida (Thunb). Cogn, fruit
A Kumar1, R Vimalavathini2
1 TIFAC CORE in Herbal Drugs, Department of Phytopharmacy and Phytomedicine, J.S.S. College of Pharmacy, Ootacamund - 643 001, India
2 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, C.L. Baid Metha College of Pharmacy, Chennai - 600 096, India
Correspondence Address:
A Kumar
TIFAC CORE in Herbal Drugs, Department of Phytopharmacy and Phytomedicine, J.S.S. College of Pharmacy, Ootacamund - 643 001
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anorectic effect of the methanol extract of Benincasa hispida (MEBH) in Swiss albino mice.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fasted mice were administered with various doses of MEBH (0.2-1 g/kg, i.p.), and the food intake was measured hourly for a period of 7 h. In another experiment, the percentage of gastric emptying at 4th h was determined after the administration of MEBH (0.2-1 g/kg, i.p.) in different set of mice which had free access to preweighed food for either 1, 2 or 4 h.
RESULTS: MEBH significantly reduced the cumulative food intake over a 7 h period in a dose-dependent manner. The percentage reduction of cumulative food intake at 7th h for MEBH with 0.2, 0.6 and 1 g/kg was 27%, 38% and 54% respectively. The 4 h gastric emptying was not significantly influenced by MEBH when compared to control.
CONCLUSION: The present study reveals for the first time a possible anorectic activity of Benincasa hispida, most probably mediated through the CNS without affecting the gastric emptying. However, further studies are required to find its potential as an antiobesity agent.
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