Aqueous root extracts were prepared according to Alkofahi et al. (1997). Fresh roots of M. pudica were shed-dried and made into a coarse powder. A 4.0 g powder was placed in a beaker and soaked in 200 ml of distilled water with continuous stirring for 3 h at room temperature. The extract was filtered through muslin cloth and the filtrate was concentrated at 40°C.
The dried residue was suspended in normal saline at a concentration of 0.1% and kept at 4°C. For the hot water extraction, the same procedure was followed except that the plant material was boiled for 5 min. in water before filtration and concentration. Alcoholic (methanolic:ethanolic) extractions were done separately with fresh root powder. The powder (4.0 g) was extracted with either ethanol or methanol by refluxing (60–80°C for 24 h) in a soxhlet apparatus. The filtrate was concentrated at 40°C following drying at vacuum. The dried residue was suspended in normal
saline at a concentration of 0.1% and kept at 4°C.