A comparative evaluation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of two medicinal plants rubia cordifolia and cassia fistula in wistar albino rats

Abstract

Background: Pain and inflammation are disabling accompaniments of many medical conditions. So, controlling both pain and inflammation assumes the top priority for the physician. Inflammation is a part of a complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli such as pathogens, chemicals or irritants. Therapy of pain and inflammation has always been debatable.Methods: Rats were divided into 8 groups of 6 animals of each. The anti-inflammatory activity was studied with carrageenan induced rat paw edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma models. The analgesic activity was evaluated using Eddy’s hot plate model. The aqueous extract of Rubia cardifolia root and Cassia fistula leaf preparations were compared with Diclofenac in both acute and sub acute inflammatory models and also in pain model.Results: Various test result parameters were statistically analysed at P value <0.5. In Eddy's hot plate model both RC and CF preparations prolonged the response reaction time, while CF preparation showed longer reaction time than that of RC preparation. In carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma models, both RC and CF preparations showed significant decrease in paw edema volume and granuloma dry weight respectively, but less than that of Diclofenac. RC preparation found to have dose dependant in inflammatory models.Conclusions: RC root and CF leaf preparations were compared head to head and they have been found to have significant dose dependant analgesic activity and dose independent acute and sub acute anti inflammatory activities. Though CF leaf preparation appeared to be a good analgesic than RF root preparation, but failed to do so as an anti inflammatory agent in both inflammatory models. But both test preparations were not equivalent to Diclofenac in all three models.