Evaluation Of Few Medicinal Plants of North East India with Ethnomedicinal Value in Management of Diabetic Neuropathic Pain

Abstract

newline Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is a prevalent and debilitating complication of diabetes mellitus, marked by hyperalgesia and allodynia due to long term hyperglycemia induced nerve damage. DNP can occur in up toand#8194;50% of patients with diabetes mellitus. Various pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches are in use to manage pain and improve quality of life, but an optimal treatment strategy for DNP remains unclear. Plant based therapies offer a promising, low-risk alternative for long-term use and may help reduce drug-related side effects, improving quality of life in neuropathy patients. Paspalum fimbriatum and Phlogacanthus jenkinsii are two ethnomedicinal plants of the Northeast Region of India traditionally used to treat different disease conditions. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Paspalum fimbriatum and Phlogacanthus jenkinsii in the management of DNP. newlinePharmacognostical parameters such as morphological investigation, microscopical investigation, powder microscopy, ash value (total, acid insoluble and water soluble ash), loss on drying and foaming index of Paspalum fimbriatum (whole plant) and Phlogacanthus jenkinsii (leaves) were evaluated using standard protocol. Whole plants of Paspalum fimbriatum and leaves of Phlogacanthus jenkinsii were shade dried and extracted with ethanol using cold maceration process. Ethanol extract of both plants was fractionated using petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and water. These extracts and fractions were all subjected to qualitative phytochemical analysis along with the determination of total phenolic and total flavonoid content. Ethyl acetate fraction of Paspalum fimbriatum (PFEAF) and Phlogacanthus jenkinsii (PJEAF) exhibited the highest total phenolic (64.96 ± 1.697 and 48.29 ± 0.642 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid (26.17 ± 0.228 and 22.69 ± 0.086 mg QE/g) content. In vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activities of extracts/fractions were assessed by standard protocols.