Journal of Ethnopharmacology 87 (2003) 11–13 Evaluation of antipyretic potential of Cleome viscosa Linn. (Capparidaceae) extract in rats B. Parimala Devi, R. Boominathan, Subhash C. Mandal ∗ Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Jadavpur University, Calcutta 700032, India Received 19 September 2001; received in revised form 13 February 2003; accepted 11 March 2003 Abstract The antipyretic activity of a methanol extract of Cleome viscosa Linn. (CVME) was investigated for its, potential on normal body temperature and yeast-induced pyrexia in albino rats. The CVME, at doses of 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg BW p.o., showed significant reduction in normal body temperature and yeast-provoked elevated temperature in a dose-dependent manner. The effect also extended upto 5h after the drug administration. The anti-pyretic effect of CVME was comparable to that of paracetamol (150 mg/kg p.o.,), a standard anti-pyretic agent. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Cleome viscosa; Entire plant; Methanol extract; CVME; Anti-pyretic 1. Introduction Cleome viscosa Linn. (Capparidaceae) is a widely distributed sticky herb with yellow flowers having strong penetrating odour. It is known as Hurhur (Hindi), Hurhuria (Bengali), Nayikkadugu (Tamil) in Indian traditional medicine, found throughout the greater part of India, often in waste places (Asolkar et al., 1965–1981). The plant is said to be used by the poor classes as vegetable. In Ayurvedic system of medicine, this plant is used in fever, inflamma- tions, liver diseases, bronchitis, and diarrhea and infantile convulsions (Chatterjee and Pakrashi, 1991), The seeds used as anthelmintic and the leaves are useful in healing the wounds and ulcers externally. The juice of the plant diluted with water and given internally in small quantities in fever. (Anonymous, 1966; Kirtikar and Basu, 1975; Nadkararni and Nadkarani, 1976). Based on the traditional use of the plant as an anti-pyretic agent, the present study was carried out in an experimen- tal animal model to substantiate the folklore claim. Since methanol is the solvent which brings out most of the com- ponents present in any material, the present investigation was carried out using a methanol extract of whole plant. ∗ Corresponding author. Fax: +91-33-4720964. E-mail address: subhashmandal@yahoo.com (S.C. Mandal). 2. Materials and methods 2.1. Plant material Entire plant of CVME were collected from the Jhilimili, Bankura, West Bengal, India. The taxonomical identifica- tion of the plant was done by The Botanical Survey of India, Shibpur, Howrah, West Bengal. The voucher speci- men CNH/I-I (44)/2002- Tech.II/472 was preserved in our laboratory for future reference. The whole plant was dried under shade powdered and passed through 40-mesh sieve and stored in an airtight container for further use. 2.2. Preparation of the extract The powdered plant materials were extracted using 90% methanol as a solvent in a soxhlet extraction apparatus. The solvent was completed removed by vacuum and a semisolid mass was obtained (9.8%, w/w with respect to the powdered material). The chemical constituents of the extract were identified by qualitative analysis and con- firmed by thin layer chromatography study for the pres- ence of flavonoids, tannins, and steroids. This methanol extract was stored in a desiccator and a weighed quantity was suspended in 2% aqueous Tween 80 solution for the experiment. 0378-8741/03/$ – see front matter © 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00099-0