Anti-inflammatory activity of ointments with dry extracts of rhizome and herb of Aremonia agrimonoides, (L.) DC (Rosaceae)

Abstract

Aremonia agrimonoides,(L.) DC (Rosaceae), also known as Bastard Agrimony, is a native plant species in the central Europe. The aqueous extracts of rhizome and herb were prepared by method of percolation with water. The liquid extracts were then evaporated in stream of nitrogen. The content of phenolics was determined by the method with Prussian Blue (1). The ointments with 1% dry extract of rhizome and 1% dry extract of herb were prepared in paraffin ointment. The anti-inflammatory effect of ointments was tested through the model of mouse ear model. Inflammation of both ears of albino mice (both sexes) was induced by applying 10µl of 3% solution of acetone-based croton oil (2). As control we used 1% hydrocortisone ointment. Ointments were applied once a day in the period of three days on the left ear, two hours after inducing inflammation. The right ear was not further treated. The appearance of the ears observed during three days was expressed in scores on 0–14 scale. The mean values recorded on the third day after the causing of ear inflammation were: for ears treated with ointment with extract of rhizome 6±1, for ears treated with the extract of aerial part of plant 7±1, for untreated ears 12±2, and for ointment with 1% hydrocortisone 6±1. Content of phenolic compounds in the extracts was 12,09% for the rhizome and 12,76% for the herb. The pharmacological response to both ointments was similar with the ointment with 1% hydrocortisone.