Abstract
Objective: This study evaluates the anti-inflammatory activities of different solvent extracts of Moringa oleifera flowers using carrageenan-induced mice paw edema.Methods: Soxhlet extraction method was employed in this study to extract the crude phytochemicals. Phytochemical analysis testing of Moringa oleifera extracts was performed to identify the presence of various phytoconstituents based on the standard procedures. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using acute inflammatory model carrageenan-induced paw edema. Three different flower extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol) of Moringa oleifera at the dose level of 500 mg/kg body weight. The anti-inflammatory activity on the different extracts of Moringa oleifera was determined through the α-carrageenan induced left hind paw oedema method in albino mice. 0.05 ml of 1% w/v carrageenan suspension was reconstituted with normal saline (0.9% NaCl) to give a homogenous solution which then be injected into the subplantar tissue of the left hind paw of each mice to induce acute inflammation.Results: Treatment with three different solvent extracts showed significant (p<0.05) inhibition in carrageenan-induced paw edema. Petroleum ether and chloroform extracts were found to be less effective than methanolic extracts when compared to (Indomethacin) reference standard at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. The phytochemical results obtained indicates that anti-edematous action of Moringa oleifera flowers exhibited in this study is due to the presence of potent anti-inflammatory phytoconstituents (flavonoid, alkaloid, tannin) in impeding arachidonic acid metabolism and production of reactive free radicals. A significant (p<0.05) increase of left hind paw thickness after the drug injection was noticed in the negative control mice group as time persisted. It showed the highest paw thickness at the fifth hour with 4.72 mm±0.07. Whereas the indomethacin treated group showed the highest percent oedema inhibition amongst all experimental group with 38.60% at the fifth-hour post-carrageenan induction. It exhibited a significant inhibition of 29.02% against the oedema after the third hour of carrageenan injection.Conclusion: The methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera flowers extract has anti-inflammatory activity. This activity was related to the dose and these results collaborate the potential traditional use of the plant in folk medicine.
Highlights
The three solvents employed in the extraction of Moringa oleifera flowers were petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol ranging from low polarity to high polarity respectively
The initial paw thickness of each group had been analyzed as shown in table 4 where there is no significant difference in the initial paw thickness between the mice in control group and experimental group
This procedure is to further prove on all albino mice has no major difference among the groups in the paw thickness initially
Summary
Moringa pterygosperma Gaertner.), one of the most underutilized species in the genus Moringa [1] belongs to the monogeneric family Moringaceae, is a deciduous monoecious soft wood plant. Moringa oleifera is a short, slender and perennial evergreen tree that grows up to 10 to 12 m, but occasionally attains heights up to 15 m in cultivation [5]. It prefers well-drained sandy or loamy soil with a slightly acid pH of 6.2 to neutral 7.0, but able to tolerate in clay soil in the wide range of pH 5 to 9. In India, people use immature pods, fresh leaves and flowers for culinary purposes [6]
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