Unveiling the therapeutic potential of <i>Olax psittacorum</i>: An approach to explore its safety and efficacy in experimental rats

Objectives: A traditional herb, Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. used in Odisha, India, for the management of different ailments, including aphthae ulcers. O. psittacorum leaf ethanolic extract was used in the present study to quantitatively evaluate the phytoconstituents present in ethanolic extract for its antibacterial, anti-oral-ulcer and free radical-scavenging properties. Materials and Methods: The leaves were extracted with ethanol, and the quantitative estimations were assessed by total tannin, flavonoid as well as phenolic contents. The antioxidant efficacy was evaluated using different free radical scavenging assays, and antimicrobial activity was assessed for Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacteria. Acute toxicity and sub-chronic toxicity studies were assessed. The anti-oral-ulcer property of the extract was observed using an acetic acid-induced ulceration in vivo model. Results: The extract yield was 45.6%, and the total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin content was determined to be 97.6 mg gallic acid equivalent/g, flavonoid content was 754.8 mg quercetin equivalent/g of extract, and the total tannin content was 21.81 mg tannic acid equivalent/g of extract. The extract exhibited free radical scavenging efficacy with a median inhibitory concentration of &lt;50 µg/mL. Acute toxicity studies revealed no death associated with the extract. Subchronic toxicity studies showed no significant changes in biochemical, haematological or histological parameters. However, the extract exhibited good antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-oral-ulcer activity by inhibiting ulceration by 70% and 83%, with doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively, on day 5. Conclusion: The present work confirms potent antioxidant and antimicrobial, along with anti-oral-ulcer properties and is considered safe for therapeutic purposes, suggesting that it could be an appropriate herbal source in treating associated ailments.