Anti - inflammatory activity of ten indigenous plants in carrageenan induced paw oedema in albino rats

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Inflammation is a symptom associated with many diseases, can be treated with steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which can cause severe side effects when used as long-term treatments. Plants have the ability to synthesize a wide verity of phytochemical compounds as secondary metabolites which shows anti-inflammatory activity. The anti-inflammatory activity of crude extracts of leaves of Jasminum grandiflorum (Jg), Vinca rosea (Vr), Azadirachta indica (Ai), Lawsonia inermis (Li), Nerium indicum (Ni), Calotropis gigantea (Cg), Tectona grandis (Tg), Andrographis paniculata (Ap), Tabernaemontana corymbosa (Tc) and Marsedinia volubilis (Mv) as well as alcoholic extracts of leaves of Cg, Tg and Ap were evaluated in Wistar rats. Methods: Acute anti-inflammatory activity of crude extracts of ten indigenous plants were studied by calculating the volume changes in the hind paw after injecting carrageenan in rats comparing with Ibuprofen which was used as a standard drug in this study. Anti-inflammatory effect of alcoholic extract of leaves of Ap, Tg and Cg (200mg/kg body weight) also studied. Results: The groups treated with crude extract & alcoholic extract of Cg, Tg and Ap showed significant reduction in the oedema compared to control and other plant extracts. The result was very significant in Ap treated rats. Conclusion: Plants are one of the most important sources of medicines. In our study, the anti-inflammatory activity of ten indigenous plants could be due to presence of naturally occurring antioxidant flavonoids. The leaves of Ap are very rich in flavonoids, could be the reason for significant anti-inflammatory activity found in Ap treated rats.