EVALUATION OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF PEDILANTHUS TITHYMALOIDES (L.) POIT. LEAVES IN MALE ALBINO RATS

Abstract

The Pedilanthus tithymaloides has been used in folk medicine to treat several ailments including inflammation. The anti-inflammatory activity of different extracts such as hexane extract (HEPT), methylene chloride extract (MCEPT), chloroform extract (CEPT), ethyl acetate extract (EAEPT) and methanol extract (MEPT) of Pedilanthus tithymaloides leaves were studied in male albino rats using the carrageenin induced paw edema model with the help of Plethysmometer. The different extracts at the dose of 200 mg/kg body weight suspended in 0.03% Tween 80 in 0.9% sodium chloride aqueous solution were administered orally 30 minutes prior to the injection of carrageenin (0.1 ml of 1%) into sub-plantar region of the right hind paw. Inflammation was expressed in terms of paw edema volume displaced by the inflammed rat paw. The percentage inhibition of inflammation was measured. Among the different extracts, methanol extract (MEPT) at the dose of 200 mg/kg body weight showed significantly more anti-inflammatory activity (percentage inhibition 81.44%) in comparison with other extracts using the carrageenin induced paw edema model as compared to the standard drug, Phenylbutazone with percentage inhibition of 82.72%. After that the anti-inflammatory activity of MEPT was also observed using histamine-induced rat paw edema, and dextran-induced rat paw edema model. The MEPT exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in a dose dependant manner in these models when compared to the standard drug, phenylbutazone. It is concluded that methanol extract of Pedilanthus tithymaloides showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect.