Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Author Spotlight: Development and Challenges of Feeding Assays for Insect Pest Management
Published on: May 26, 2023
Phytochemical Characterization of Fagonia indica and Functional Evaluation of Its Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitory, and
Aafia Sharif1, Arshad Iqbal1, Atta Ur Rahman1
1Department of Botany, Islamia College Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Abstract:
This study investigated the phytochemical composition and pharmacological activities of Fagonia indica crude methanolic extract (MEFFI) and its aqueous fraction (AQFFI). Phytochemical profiling via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 19 compounds in MEFFI and 11 in AQFFI. Predominant constituents in MEFFI included n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, phytol, and 2-butoxyethanol, while AQFFI was rich in 4-O-methylmannose, thiocyanic acid ethyl ester, and thiophene derivatives-compounds associated with diverse biological activities, including modulation of intestinal motility. Pharmacological evaluation revealed dose-dependent inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), indicating neuroprotective potential. In antioxidant assays, MEFFI exhibited stronger radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 222 for DPPH and 230 μg/mL for ABTS) compared to AQFFI. Acute toxicity assessment in pigeons confirmed safety of both extracts at doses up to 2 g/kg. In vivo experiments revealed that AQFFI significantly enhanced gastrointestinal transit (83.87%), demonstrating prokinetic activity, whereas MEFFI exhibited pronounced laxative effects in constipation models. Both extracts also produced dose-dependent spasmolytic effects on isolated rabbit jejunum. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of F. indica extracts in managing gastrointestinal motility disorders and support further mechanistic studies to correlate the specific phytochemicals with their observed laxative and spasmolytic activities.
More Related Videos
05:19Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anthelmintic Properties of Tithonia diversifolia Extracts Against Gastrointestinal Nematode Eggs Using In Vitro Assays
Published on: August 1, 2025
13:35Structural Biology and Analytical Chemistry Approaches for Characterizing C-Glycoside Metabolic Enzymes in Human Gut Microbiota
Published on: May 23, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Enzymes
Enzyme deficiencies can often translate into life-threatening diseases. For example, a genetic abnormality resulting in the deficiency of the enzyme G6PD...
Enzyme Kinetics
Scientists typically study enzyme kinetics with a fixed amount of enzyme in the controlled environment of a test tube. When more reactant, or substrate, is...
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters
Enzyme-linked Receptors
Neurotrophin (NT) receptors are a family of RTKs, including trkA, trkB, and trkC (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptors. TrkA is specific for nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-6, and neurotrophin-7. TrkB binds...
Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter
Functional Groups