ANTIPYRETIC PROPERTY OF JUTE

(Corchorus capsularis Linn.)LEAF EXTRACT

A Research Proposal
Presented to
University of Northern Philippines
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Jeem Carlo F. Pula

INTRODUCTION
Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare known to mankind. Herbs have been
used by all cultures throughout history. Herbal medicine was an integral part of the development
of modern civilization. Primitive man observed and appreciated the great diversity of plants
available to him. The plants provided food, clothing, shelter and medicine. Much use of plants
seems to have been developed through observations of wild animals, and by trial and error. Man
methodically collected information on herbs and developed well-defined herbal pharmacopoeias.
Herbal medicine, sometimes referred to as Herbalism or Botanical Medicine, is the use of herbs
for their therapeutic of medicinal value. An herb is a plant or part valued for its medicinal,
aromatic or savory qualities. Herb plants produce and contain variety of chemical substances that
act upon the body (holisticonline.com/herbal-medicine, 2006)
Nature is wonderful that it provides everything man needs. Many conditions and sickness
can be helped by the use of plants. Many of the healing properties of the plant kingdom have yet
to discover. Plants can provide remedies that are more suitable for the human body than the
commercially available synthetic chemical products and are the best agents for treating diseases
(New Book of Knowledge, 2002).
The Philippines is endowed with a rich flora and an abundant source of medicinal plants
for medicinal plants is an old as man himself. Primitive men probably learned their medicinal
values from intuition and observation of the animals around themselves (Cachola, 1989). The
Philippines is a rich nation with plants around us. Our fathers had utilized plants in treating their
ailments during the old times. Many plants in the rural areas have medicinal contents which can

be cultivated and improve as alternative source of drugs. Today, the price of commercial drugs is
increasing and such alternative to synthetic and imported medicine is a must (Tan, 1987).
The use of organic medicines is the need of our time. The prices of manufactured drugs
are high. Their availability is not always assured. We need practical remedies for our common
ailments. We must rediscover the new elements of nature (Ladion, 1985).
Corchorus is a genus plant of about 40-100 species in the family Malvaceae. Jute is
confusingly applied to any plant of the genus Corchorus and to its fiber. The chief sources of the
fiber are the two species of Corchorus plant: C olitorius and C capsularis. In the Philippines,
three Corchorus species are recorded with medicinal uses: Pasau, Pasau na bilog, and pasau na
hapa.
Pasau-na-bilog is an erect, branched annual herb, growing up to 1 to 2 meters high. Stems are
usually purplish. Leaves are ovate-lanceolate, 5 to 12 centimeters long, pointed at the tip and
rounded at the base, with toothed margins and taillike projections on the each side of the midrib.
Flowers are in small groups in the axils of the leaves, about 4 millimeters long. Sepals are often
purplish and the petals are yellow. Capsules are globose to globose-obovoid, about 1 centimeter
in diameter, with longitudinal ridges.
Active principle of the jute seed is corchorin, a glucoside ten times bitterer than quinine
sulfate. Leaves yield a bitter compound, capsularin, a compound with the same molecular
formula and melting point as corchorin. From the leaves, capsularin, with the same molecular
formula as corchorin. Study yielded corchortoxin, another cardiac agent from the seeds. Study
yielded another bitter, corchsularin from the seeds. Seed contains 2.25 percent of raffinose. Oil
contains the glycerides of oleic acid, 39.18%; glycerides of linolic acid, 44.63 %; a small
quantity of "crude archidic acid," 0.169%; and palmitic and stearic acid. Leaves considered

stimulant,

laxative,

demulcent,

appetizer

and

stomachic.

Fiber, one of nature's stronger vegetable fibers, is referred to as the "golden fiber." It is long,
soft, shiny, 1 to 4 meters in length, with a diameter of 17 to 20 microns, with high insulating and
anti-static properties, with moderate moisture regain and low thermal conductivity.
In the Philippines, tops eaten as vegetable, particularly by the Ilocanos who call it
"saluyut."
There are different studies showing the effectiveness of this plant; first is
Antinociceptive / Antiinflammatory: Study showed the extract of CC exhibited significant
antinociceptive and antiinflammatory activities confirming its traditional use for ailments
associated with inflammation and pain. Second Galactolipid / Anti-Tumor: Galactolipid 1 has be
shown to be responsible for the anti-tumor promoting activity of jute (Corchorus capsularis and
C. olitorius). Third, Antipyretic / Antinociceptive / Antiinflammatory: Study on the aqueous
extract of jute plant leaves, C. capsularis, exhibited significant antinociceptive, antiinflammatory and anti-pyretic activities in a dose-dependent manner and supports its claim of
traditional use to treat various ailments. Fourth, Capsugenin: Study yielded a glycoside
capsugenin-30-o-B-glycopyranoside, from the leaves of Corchorus capsularis. (Philippine
Medicinal Plants, http://www.stuartxchange.org/PasauNaBilog.html)

OBJECTIVES:
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Studying medicinal plants, such as this research, have much significance to human life.

METHODOLOGY
Materials and Equipment
The laboratory materials and equipment that needed in conducting this study are the
following:
1. Laboratory materials
a) Beaker
b) Erlenmeyer flask
c) Filter paper
d) Graduated cylinder
e) Stirring rod
f) Test tubes
g) Digital Thermometer
h) Weighing balance
i) Glass funnel
j) Alcohol lamp
k) Tripod

l) Water bath
2. Test organisms
a. Swiss mice
3. Reagents/extracts
a) 95% Ethyl alcohol
b) Jute leaf extracts
c) Brewers yeast
Procedure
A. Procurement of test organisms
The test organisms, Swiss mice will be obtained from an accredited test animal
distributor. The 20 Swiss mice each weighing 20-30 g at the start of the experiment will
be kept in individual observation cages. Test animals were in same age and same sex
(male). All animals will be fasted from food and water 16 hours before the test.
B. Experiment Proper
1. Preparation of the plant extraction
The procedure will be adopted from the Guidebook to plant screening:
Pythochemical and Biological by Guevarra,(2005). The plant materials will be gathered

in Borobor, Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur. Plant leaves materials will be washed with water to
get rid of the dirt and then finely chopped into pieces.
The hundred grams of finely chopped fresh plant fruits will be placed in an
Erlenmeyer flask and unto which 600 ml. of ethyl alcohol will be added to completely
submerge the materials. The flask will be stoppered and the materials will be left to be
soaked overnight. After which, it was filtered through a Buchner funnel with gentle
suction. The flask and the plant materials will be rinsed with the fresh portion of alcohol.
The washings will be combined with the first filtrate. The plant residue will be discarded.
In a water bath, not exceed in 50 degree Celsius, the filtrate was concentrated to about 20
ml.
2. Preparation of the fever-induced animals
a. Inject 0.5 ml of 40% Brewers yeast mixture into one hind leg of each Swiss
mice, the experimental animals.
b. Measure the rectal temperature one hour after the injection of yeast. Take the
average increase in temperature every half hour for four hours.
3. Procedure for the antipyretic testing
a. Inject intramuscularly the prepared different treatments/concentrations and
proper dose (0.1ml/kg) of the plant test drug into the other hind leg of the
Swiss mice.

b. Note the onset of decrease in rectal temperature and record the decrease in
temperature every half for four hours.
c. Take the average of all the temperature readings.
d. Results are compared with a positive (+ve) control