Pharmacological Activities of Rhododendron afghanicum; an Endemic Species of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Majority of different kinds of metabolites having therapeutic characteristics are thought to be stored in medicinal plants. So, the present study was aimed to explore the crude extract of leaves and stem of R. afghanicum for phytochemical screening and various pharmacological activities. Toxicological studies at 100 mg/kg showed 60 % mortality where its safe dose level was 90 mg/kg. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids and tannins in both extracts. Bacterial strains were susceptible to (RLEt) and (RLM) crude extracts except Staphylococcus aureus. RSM showed maximum anti-inflammatory activity (20.16 %) followed by RSEt (20.14 %) where lowest activity was displayed by RLEt (18.46 %). Phytotoxic activity showed a substantial dose-dependent phyto-inhibition of Lemna minor. An outstanding cytotoxic potential was displayed with LD₅₀ values of 9.46 and 13.03 μg/ml in both stem extracts. RLEt demonstrated a dose-dependent pain relief at 30, 60 and 90 mg/kg which was 31 %, 40 % and 52 % respectively. A considerable spasmolytic action was observed by the shrinkage of jejunum muscle in albino mice. RLEt at 1000 ppm showed (17 mm) and RLM at 1000 ppm showed (16 mm) zone of inhibition against Aspergillus niger. These findings support and corroborate the traditional applications of R. afghanicum for treating digestive, analgesic and inflammatory ailments.