ANTIPYRETIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF ZEPHYRANTHES CANDIDA HERB

Zephyranthes candida Herb. (Amaryllidaceae), commonly known as the rain lily, has garnered attention in ethnopharmacology for its traditional use in managing fever, convulsions, and epilepsy in Indian and South American folk medicine. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of its antipyretic activity and phytochemical profile, incorporating recent advancements in phytochemical analysis and in vivo modeling. The methanolic flower extract was assessed for antipyretic effects using the yeast-induced pyrexia model in Wistar rats (n=36), at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight, benchmarked against paracetamol (100 mg/kg). Results demonstrated significant dose-dependent temperature reduction, with the 200 mg/kg dose achieving 92.30% inhibition at 3 hours (p < 0.001 vs. control), surpassing the standard (78.57%). Phytochemical screening identified key bioactive compounds, including flavonoids (45.2 mg QE/g), phenolics (28.6 mg GAE/g), and alkaloids (3.8% w/w), corroborated by HPLC-MS revealing quercetin (8.2 μg/mg) and lycorine analogs. Antioxidant assays (DPPH IC50 = 142.3 μg/mL; FRAP = 1.8 mmol Fe²⁺/g) suggest anti-inflammatory synergy via ROS scavenging and COX-2 inhibition. Acute toxicity (OECD 423) confirmed safety (LD50 >2000 mg/kg). Two tables illustrate dose-responses and phytochemical yields. Present study on Amaryllidaceae bioactivity, highlighting lycorine’s role in PGE2 modulation and Z. candida’s potential as a non-toxic antipyretic amid rising synthetic drug resistance. Limitations include single-model validation; future research recommends molecular docking and multi-herb synergies for clinical translation.