Ethanolic Extracts of leaves of Alstonia scholaris Linn. Modulates Chronic Inflammatory Immune Response in FCA Induced Arthritis

Abstract

AIM- The aim of the present investigation is scientifically establishing the anti-arthritic activity of selected medicinal plant so that we are able to come up with a more effective and potent bioactive phytoconstituents with less side effects in comparison with existing synthetic drugs. MATERIAL & METHODS- The leaves of Alstonia scholaris were collected from campus of College of Pharmacy. All the plant materials were taxonomically identified by Dr. Gyanendra Tiwari, Senior Scientist, KNK College of Horticulture. All the plant materials were dried under shade and subjected to coarse powder for extraction process. Accurately weighed quantity of leaf powder of Alstonia scholaris were extracted using 95 % ethanol by soxhlet apparatus for 72 h. The ethanolic extracts were dried under the reduced pressure to get crude ethanolic extracts. The Wistar albino rats were divided into 10 groups of six animals in each. For the induction of chronic inflammatory response, FCA (0.1 ml) was injected through intra-articular injection in left ankle joint of rats on 0 day. The severity of adjuvant arthritis was quantified by measuring the volume of the hind paw using Plethysmograph. Body weight was measured of all groups at zero days before immunization and at 21st day after treatments over by using a single pan weighing balance. RESULTS- The preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed that different active constituent present in different extracts such as carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, fat, oils, steroids, terpenoids, glycosides, alkaloids, tannins and other phenolics compounds. The assessment made on the 21st day showed that the A. scholaris treatments at both doses (low and high) had moderately significant and highly significant effect and reduced (p< 0.01& p<0.001) the adjuvant-induced lesions in the respective treatment groups as compared with the arthritis control group. However, standard, A. scholaris had highly significant effects (p<0.001) in recovery of RBCs and haemoglobin. They also showed highly significant effects on decrease in WBCs and ESR treated groups, also showed moderately significant effects as compared to arthritic group. CONCLUSION- Besides from the obvious therapeutic importance, these components would be useful in understanding the mechanism of diseases with higher levels of cellular and molecular level. These components could serve as lead molecules for development of prospective anti-arthritic agents. Keywords: Anti-arthritic agent, Lead molecules, Alstonia scholaris, Shronic inflammatory response, Synthetic drugs, Plethysmograph