PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ANETHUM SOWA SEED EXTRACT FOR ANTI-PYRETIC ACTIVITY IN RATS

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pharmacognostic, physicochemical, phytochemical, antioxidant, and antipyretic properties of Anethum sowa seeds. The seeds were collected, authenticated, and subjected to standard quality control parameters. Pharmacognostic evaluation revealed characteristic morphological features useful for identification and authentication of the crude drug. Physicochemical analysis, including ash values and loss on drying, was found to be within acceptable limits, indicating the purity and quality of the plant material. The powdered seeds were extracted using solvents of increasing polarity. Among the extracts, methanol and ethanol yielded higher extractive values, suggesting better extraction efficiency of bioactive constituents. Preliminary phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of important secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, phenolic compounds, carbohydrates, and proteins. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the ethanolic extract possessed higher total phenolic and total flavonoid contents than the methanolic extract. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Both extracts exhibited significant concentration-dependent antioxidant effects, with the ethanolic extract showing greater free radical scavenging activity, approaching that of the standard antioxidant. Antipyretic activity was evaluated using the yeast-induced pyrexia model in rats. Both extracts significantly reduced elevated body temperature, with the higher dose of the ethanolic extract producing the most pronounced effect, comparable to that of paracetamol. Overall, the findings indicate that Anethum sowa seeds possess promising antioxidant and antipyretic activities, supporting their traditional medicinal use and potential therapeutic value. Further studies are needed to isolate active constituents and establish clinical efficacy.