A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE ANTIPYRETIC ACTION OF AVERRHOA BILIMBI (KAMIAS) FRUIT SYRUP AND PARACETAMOL SYRUP

Pharmacology Thesis

Averrhoa bilimbi (kamias) is one of the herbal plants that can be used as a cure for fever and other common ailments. Fruit of Kamias formulated into syrup was used as the principal pharmaceutical dosage form for the preparation of an antipyretic drug. Experimentation was performed on fifteen (15) healthy eight-month old male rabbits. Boiled milk introduced intravenously in the ear of the rabbit subjects was used as an exogenous pyrogen and rectal temperature was measured every 30 minutes until an increase of 0.4-1.5 degree Celsius from the baseline temperature was obtained. Therapeutic dose of 0.24 ml Kamias fruit syrup and 0.53 ml Paracetamol syrup were given orally and effect on rectal temperature was noted for 3 hours. Descriptive analysis of effect of kamias fruit syrup shows that only 40% of the subjects had a decrease in rectal temperature with an average decrease of only 0.15 degree Celsius. Paired t-test resulted to a t-score of - 1.8512 which is insignificant at a .05. The effect of Kamias fruit syrup on rectal temperature is not significant. A trace of antipyretic property is present but it is very low. Descriptive analysis of effect of Paracetamol syrup shows that 80% of the subjects had a decrease in rectal temperature with an average decrease of 0.775 degrees Celsius. Paired t-test score of 3.1185 is significant at a .05. This means that Paracetamol syrup had a significant effect on the rectal temperature. Paracetamol syrup significantly lowered the rectal temperature of the fever - induced rabbits and the better antipyretic drug over the Averrhoa bilimbi (Kamias) fruit syrup

Department of Pharmacology