Anti-stress Activity of A Bioflavanoid: Quercetin from Euphorbia hirta

Aim: The present study was undertaken to investigate the antistress potential of isolated compound, Quercetin from Euphorbia hirta.
Study Design: In the present study extracted leaves of Euphorbia hirta were subjected to isolation and purification of phytoconstituent as marker. The structure of isolated compound was characterized and elucidated with chemical and spectroscopic techniques such as Infra Red, Nuclear Mass Resonance and Mass spectroscopy experiments. The anti-stress activity of isolated compound i.e. Quercetin from Euphorbia hirta using elevated plus maze (EPM) model and forced swimming test (FST) respectively in swiss albino mice.
Methodology: The hydroalcoholic extract of Euphorbia hirta was partioned successively with petroleum ether, ethyl ether and ethyl acetate using separating funnel. Ethyl acetate fractions were subjected to silica gel column chromatography for the isolation of Quercetin. The structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Albino mice were treated with different doses of the isolated compound Quercetin (i.e.25, 50 and 100 mg/kg orally) and behavior was observed on the EPM and FST.
Results: The crude hydroalcoholic extract of Euphorbia hirta was successively partitioned with various solvents. Chemical structure of Quercetin was elucidated by IR, NMR and MASS spectroscopy. Mice pretreated with Quercetin at the dose of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg show significant improvement in the swimming time. On the other hand, after administering 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg Quercetin significantly increased the time spent in open arm and decreased the time spent in the closed arm compared to the control group The anti stress effect of the Quercetin was prominent at 100 mg/kg. The result of EPM model and FST revealed that isolated compound having antistress activity.
Conclusion: This is the first report of antistress activity of Quercetin and isolation of Quercetin by column chromatography from hydroalcoholic exract. The results also revealed that Quercetin is a novel compound for the treatment of neurobiological disorder (stress). Recent investigation of traditional herbal remedy (Quercetin) in controlling and treating diseases tend to prefer natural rather than synthetic ones.