Anxiolytic Effect of Eugenol In Courapita Guiniasis Flower Along With Hptlc Analysis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to isolate and purify eugenol from the methanolic extract of the Cannonball Flower (Couroupita guianensis). The presence of eugenol in the extract was confirmed using High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprinting. Standard eugenol was employed as a reference marker for comparison. The study also aimed to evaluate the potential anxiolytic effects of methanolic extracts of Cannonball Flower in rats. Male Swiss albino rats were administered 100 and 200 mg/kg of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Cannonball Flower (CG) orally for 15 consecutive days. The anxiolytic activity was assessed using the Open Field Test (OFT), Forced Swim Test (FST), and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) models. Eugenol was detected in the Cannonball Flower extract at concentrations of 4, 6, and 8 μg/ml, showing distinct blue bands (T1, T2, and T3) in the HPTLC chromatogram at 366 nm. Both the standard eugenol and the Cannonball Flower extract were analyzed at the same concentrations, confirming the presence of eugenol in all three levels. The results indicated that, compared to the vehicle control, both the aqueous and methanolic extracts of CG at a dose of 200 mg/kg significantly exhibited anxiolytic effects in the EPM, FST, and OFT models. This is the first exploration of the anxiolytic properties of CG flower extracts.