LAUSR

Background: Rhizomes of Heliconia rostrata (Heliconiaceae) has antiophidic, in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Aim: Extracts of rhizome and inflorescence of H. rostrata were studied to test their angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis effect using ex-ovo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Methods: Dried defatted rhizomes of H. rostrata were macerated using ethanol, methanol and water to obtain rhizome ethanol extract (REE), rhizome methanol extract (RME) and rhizome aqueous extract (RAE), respectively. Similarly, defatted dried inflorescence of H. rostrata was macerated with water to obtain inflorescence aqueous extract (FAE). Dried extracts were used in 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00 and 2.50 mg dose applied in 3mm diameter filter paper for the CAM study. Pictorial as well as a semi-quantitative method was used to evaluate the antiangiogenic effect of the extracts in different doses. Changes before at 0h and after treatment at 4 h were compared. Results: The CAM treated with RAE and FAE showed anti-angiogenic effect at 2.50 mg dose per paper. While, CAM treated with REE and RME showed anti-angiogenic effect at 1.50 mg dose per paper. Semi-quantitative evaluation done by five different evaluators (blindly) suggested RME to be the strongest among the extracts in terms of the anti-angiogenic effect. No angiogenic effect is seen. Conclusion: But the higher doses at which the anti-angiogenic effect is seen suggests that Heliconia rostrata may be considered neither angiogenic nor anti-angiogenic.