Neuropharmacological evaluation and HPTLC fingerprint profile of phytocompound-enriched chloroform fraction of methanolic extract of Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley fruits &ndash; a potent Asian ethno-medicinal vegetable plant
Authors: Parmar Sachin , Prajapati Rakesh , Kalarias Manisha 
Published: March 2022

Introduction:Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley (Cucurbitaceae) is a traditional vegetable plant, popularly known as bottle gourd (English) and lauki (Hindi). It is a climbing herb characterized with a number of therapeutic properties. Traditionally Lagenaria siceraria (LS) fruits were used for their cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, diuretic, and purgative effects, but there is very little scientific data available on its neuroprotective potential.

Aims: The present study aimed to assess the neuropharmacological profile of the sterol-enriched chloroform fraction of methanolic extract of&nbsp;Lagenaria siceraria fruits in animal experimental models.

Materials and methods: Neuropharmacological screening was conducted in specific reported animal models. Adult Wistar albino rats were subjected to behaviour despair test and elevated plus maze test. Thiopental-induced sedation, locomotor activity, and rota rod test were conducted on Swiss albino mice. Similarly, pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions and maximal electroshock-induced seizures in Swiss albino mice were performed to evaluate the anti-epileptic potential.

Results: The results of the study demonstrated that the anxiolytic activity of phytocompound-enriched chloroform fraction of methanolic extract of Lagenaria siceraria fruits (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg per os) was characterized by increased time spent in and increased number of entries into the open arms of the elevated plus maze prototype as compared to the control group (p<0.001). Chloroform fraction (100-400 mg/kg, p.o.) showed the dose-dependent significant reduction in duration of immobility (p<0.001) in the behaviour despair test. Similarly, the chloroform fraction was found to exert a significant reduction in motor co-ordination (p<0.001) and prolongation of thiopental-induced sleeping time (p<0.001) during the animal studies. Moreover, the test fraction significantly increased (p<0.001) the onset of myoclonic seizures in pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions model as well as in the maximal electroshock-induced seizures model at all three dose levels selected. Interestingly, the chloroform fraction neither produced any overt motor dysfunction nor any kind of extra pyramidal symptoms in any of the animal models during pharmacological screening. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the fraction showed presence of saponins, phytosterols, terpenoids, fats, and trace amount of polyphenolic compounds. HPTLC fingerprinting analysis was also carried out.

Conclusions: This is the first study exploring the neuroprotective potential of Lagenaria siceraria fruits by showing the anxiolytic, anti-depressant, sedative, and anti-epileptic-like activities, confirming the traditional claims. Future prospectus and investigations will give emphasis on isolation of the bioactive phytocompounds and their precise mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective activities.