Ficus cunia Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb. (leaves): An experimental evaluation of the cytotoxicity, thrombolytic, analgesic and neuropharmacological activities of its methanol extract.

Background The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the cytotoxic, thrombolytic, analgesic, sedative-hypnotic and anxiolytic activities of the methanolic extract of Ficus cunia leaves. Methods Primary phytochemical screening was accomplished by using established methods. Cytotoxicity was studied by brine shrimp lethality test, and the thrombolytic assay was conducted through clot lysis method with human blood. The in vivo action was done using mice of both sexes. The analgesic activity was evaluated by acetic acid-induced writhing test and formalin-induced paw licking test. Open field, hole cross and thiopental Na-induced sleeping time test were used to examine the sedative-hypnotic activity, and elevated plus maze (EPM) and hole board test were used to identify the anxiolytic activity. Results The results elicited that the extract contained several phytochemicals such as alkaloid, flavonoid, and tannin. The extract was found to have a median lethal concentration (LC50) value of 55.48 μg/mL in the brine shrimp lethality bioassay. It was also assessed for antithrombotic activity when compared with streptokinase; it has significant (p < 0.001) thrombolytic effect (34.72 ± 1.74%) contrasted with standard streptokinase (67 ± 1.56%). The extract at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg produced inhibition of 32.58% and 46.63% in acetic acid-induced pain and 45.88 and 61.18% in formalin-induced pain. The sedative and hypnotic activities on the central nervous system of the methanol extract of F. cunia (MEFC) leaves were evaluated. The extract delivered critical sedative impact at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg (by oral route) treated with reference to the substance diazepam, and the hypnotic impact was also observed in the case of mice. MEFC at its maximum dose (400 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.01) increased the time spent in the open arms of the EPM. In the hole board test, there was a dose-dependent (at 200 and 400 mg/kg) and a significant (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) increase in the number of head pokes in comparison to control. Conclusions The results of the present study gave a helpful baseline in progression for the possible use of MEFC as a cytotoxic, thrombolytic, analgesic, sedative-hypnotic and anxiolytic drug.