Antipyretic Activity of Clitoria ternatea Var. Pleniflora (Butterfly Pea) Blue Flower Extract on Yeast Induced Fever on Albino Mus Musculus (Mice)

Abstract

Fever is the elevation of body temperature ≥ 38ºC. Overdose with over-the-counter drugs used to treat fever, such as paracetamol, can cause side effects like thrombocytopenia and liver failure. This study demonstrates the antipyretic activity of Clitoria ternatea var. pleniflora (Butterfly Pea) blue flower ethanolic extract on yeast-induced fever on albino mice. Blue flowers of Clitoria ternatea var. pleniflora were collected and extracted using soxhlation. Thirty-two albino mice were used and divided into four treatment groups: a positive control group treated with paracetamol (120mg/5mL) and three experimental groups treated with varying concentrations of the blue flower extract (200 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg). The rectal temperatures were recorded at 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after administration of the different concentrations of the blue flower extract. The antipyretic activity of the blue flower ethanolic extract was determined by comparing the rectal temperatures of the mice in the experimental groups to the rectal temperatures of the mice in the positive control group at each time interval. Result of one-way ANOVA showed that the mean post-treatment rectal temperatures of the albino mice treated with paracetamol, 400 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg of blue flower ethanolic extracts were not significantly different after 30 minutes (F = 0.009, p = 0.999), 1 hour (F = 0.812, p = 0.498), 2 hours (F = 0.237, p = 0.870), 3 hours (F = 0.920, p = 0.444), and 4 hours (F= 1.409, p= 0.261), hence, Clitoria ternatea var. pleniflora blue flower ethanolic extract exhibited antipyretic activity.