Fever is a common clinical manifestation of infections, inflammatory conditions and other ill health conditions. Synthetic antipyretic agents are effective, but its adverse effects necessitate the search for safer plant-derived based alternatives. Laportea aestuans has been traditionally used to reduce fever and other related ailments, but its scientific validation is limited. The research objectives include the evaluation of antipyretic property of ethanol leaf extracts of Laportea aestuans in animal models and identification of bioactive phytochemicals. Ethanol extraction was performed on lyophilized leaves of L. aestuans. Qualitative phytochemical screening was conducted using Trease and Evans Method (2002). Acute toxicity assessment was performed using Lorke’s Method (1983). Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia and Amphetamine-induced pyrexia in animal models were tools used to evaluate antipyretic property. Aspirin (10 mg/kg) served as the standard drug (positive control) and Distilled water (10 ml/kg) served as the negative control. The leaf extracts was administered orally at the doses of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg at the treated groups (Group 3 to 5) of Swiss mice. Rectal temperature was recorded at baseline and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 24 hours post-treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and mean ± standard deviation (SD), the result was considered significant at P-value < 0.05. Bioactive phytochemicals screening indicated qualitative presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, steroids and phenolic compounds. The ethanol leaf extracts significantly (p<0.05) reduced yeast-induced pyrexia and amphetamine-induced pyrexia in a dose-dependent manner. At 400 mg/kg, the extracts produced a comparable effect to aspirin. Ethanol leaf extracts of L. aestuans possesses significant antipyretic property, which is relative to bioactive phytochemicals. These results validated its use in African traditional medicine and as a novel plant-derived antipyretic agent.

Keywords: Antipyretic property, Laportea aestuans, bioactive phytochemicals, animal models, leaf extracts.