Phytochemical Screening, Acute Toxicity and Evaluation of in vitro Antiurolithaitic Activity of Ethanolic and Methanolic Root and Leaf Extracts of Acalypha indica Linn.

Background: A plethora of novel therapeutic strategies, notably urolithiasis therapy, are currently being spoke of into traditional medicine. A particularly significant herbal remedy that is employed in indigenous medicine for its antiurolithiatic property is Acalypha indica Linn. Although A. indica is widely used in traditional medicine as an antiurolithiatic, there is currently no scientific data to substantiate this claim. Moreover, deriving inferences from the suggested theories and limited in vitro investigation casts doubt on its significance. Hence, this work focuses on the preliminary evaluation, acute oral toxicity and in vitro evaluation for antiurolithiatic activity of A. indica. Materials and Methods: Phytochemical evaluation was carried out using various standardized tests. Acute toxicity studies for Methanolic and Ethanolic extract of Roots and Leaves was conducted according to OECD guideline 420 using Wistar albino rats. The inhibitory activity of the extracts with concentrations of 100, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 μg/mL on the nucleation of Calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals was determined by a spectrophotometric assay. Results: A phytochemical screening resulted in identification of secondary metabolites such as carbohydrates, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and terpenoids with varying amounts in each extract. There were no signs of toxicity in the initial investigation on a single rat given a dosage of 2000 mg/kg of methanolic and ethanolic root and leaf extracts. The maximum inhibition was observed in Methanolic Root Extract (71.26%) at a concentration of 1000 mg/mL, which is followed by Ethanolic Leaf Extract (60.91%) at the same concentration. Conclusion: Acalypha indica Linn. was discovered to possess therapeutic value in the management of urolithiasis.