Antitussive and antibacterial activity of Trompang Elepante (Heliotropium indicum Linn.)

Heliotropium indicum is used in folkloric medicine for many diseases. In this present study, we established the antitussive and antibacterial activities of ethanol extract of H. indicum leaves and to elucidate the phytochemical components. The antitussive effect of the extract was evaluated in mice in the citric acid saturated chamber while antibacterial activity was evaluated using disc diffusion assay. Results revealed that the 100% of extract syrup of H. indicum significantly recorded the lowest number of cough of 2.0 which statistically comparable with dextromethorphan. However, mice treated with 50% extract syrup had a mean cough number of 4.67. H. indicum ethanol extract also showed antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes having zone of inhibitions of 9.55 mm and 9.81 mm, respectively. Air-dried leaves of this plant contain alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides and terpenoids. These significant findings suggest that H. indicum is another promising plant source of important compounds with antibacterial and antitussive properties.

Author(s): Marian H. Villa, Jo Neil T. Peria, Nancy Joy M. Mangansat and Rich Milton R. Dulay

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