Phytochemical and pharmacological studies on bark of Symplocos racemosa Roxb

Symplocos racemosa Roxb bark belongs to the family: Symplocaceae. In Ayurveda it is known as Lodhra. The bark was collected and dried for four days under sun and powdered. It was extracted with different solvents ethanol, methanol and ethyl acetate by soxhlet hot extraction process. Preliminary phytochemical analysis was carried out for different extracts. It was found that saponin glycosides and carbohydrate were present in the extracts. Thin layer chromatography studies were carried out using Methanol: Chloroform and Methanol: Ethyl acetate. Spraying reagents a) 5% Alcoholic sulphuric acid, b) 1% Vanillin in alcohol. Rf values were calculated for the different spots. Extracts were screened for antiinflammatory activity by carageenan induced rat paw oedema method by using ibuprofen as standard drug. The methonolic and ethyl acetate extract has shown significant anti-inflammatory activity when compared to that of control.