Phytochemical analysis of Caesalpinia crista leaf extracts and evaluation of their antiasthmatic potential

This study aimed to examine the phytochemical composition and antiasthmatic effects of chloroform, methanol, and aqueous leaves extract of Caesalpinia crista L. (CC) using five experimental animal models. The bioactive compounds such as fatty acids, esters, ketones, dicarboxylic acids, and sugars were identified in CC leaves through qualitative phytochemical tests and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, while functional groups including alcohols/amines, aliphatic hydrocarbons, carbonyls, alkenes, and ethers were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. In the mast cell degranulation model, the aqueous extract exhibited the significant mast cell stabilization at 200 mg/kg, providing 59.85% protection and reducing degranulated mast cells to 30.78 ± 0.23 (p 0.05). The results from the contractile and relaxation studies on goat trachea and guinea pig ileum revealed that all extracts induced dose-dependent relaxation, though to a lesser extent than the standard, indicating partial but notable muscle relaxation caused by CC extracts. Overall, the present findings provide scientific evidence for the traditional medicinal use of CC leaves and support the ethnopharmacological wisdom of aboriginal communities.