Antitussive potential of methanol extract of stem bark of Ficus racemosa Linn.

The methanol extract of Ficus racemosa Linn (Moraceae) (stem bark) (MEFR) was tested for its antitussive potential against a cough induced model by sulphur dioxide gas in mice. The extract demonstrated significant (p < 0.001) antitussive activity at all tested dose levels when compared with the control. The antitussive activity of the extract was comparable to that of codeine phosphate (10 mg), a standard antitussive agent. The extract exhibited maximum inhibition of 56.9% at a dose of 200 mg/kg (p.o.) 90 min after administration. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.