Evaluation of Anti-stress Activity of Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. Lamiaceae Aqueous Leaves Extract on Wistar Albino Rats

Aim: The present study was aimed to determine the in-vivo anti-stress activity of Orthosiphon stamineus aqueous leaves extracts using Wistar albino rats.

Methodology: In anoxia stress tolerance test and noise induced stress test Wistar albino rats of either sex was randomly divided into five groups of four animals each. Aqueous leaves extract of Orthosiphon stamineus (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg p.o) was administered for 21 days for anoxia stress tolerance method, whereas 15 days for noise induced stress method and last day, blood was collected by retro-orbital route to estimate blood cell count and biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, BUN & ACTH) to assess the anti-stress activity in Wistar albino rats. Withania somnifera (WS) (100 mg/kg p.o) was selected as reference standard.

Results: Results are expressed as mean ± SEM and data were analysed by Student's t-test. From the results, it was found that aqueous extract of Orthosiphon stamineus has been significantly increased in blood cell count and other biochemical parameters in both anoxia stress tolerance and noise induced stress test which is almost comparable to the standard drug. Furthermore, anoxia stress tolerance is more significant in the majority of the parameters when compared to noise induced stress.

Conclusion: The results indicate that aqueous leaves extract of Orthosiphon stamineus possesses significant anti-stress activity.