Anti-Inflammatory Investigations of the Ethanol Extract of Phaulopsis falcisepala C.B. Clarke (Acanthaceae) Whole Plant in Rodents

doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v4i4.8

Abstract

Phaulopsis falcisepala C.B. Clarke (Acanthaceae) is used for treatment of fever and rheumatic pains. The study evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanol extract of P. falcisepala using carrageenan, serotonin, histamine, formalin-induced oedema, cotton pellet-induced granuloma models in rats and xylene-induced oedema in mice at doses of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg orally. Acute oral toxicity and quantitative phytochemical study were also carried out. No toxic effect was observed at 5 g/kg after oral administration. The extract produced a significant (p < 0.001, p < 0.0001) dose-dependent inhibition of oedema with the maximum inhibition observed at 60 minutes (68.20%) at 150 mg/kg in the carrageenan model and at 150 mg/kg (59.74%) in xylene model. It produced significant (p < 0.0001) inhibition of oedema with peak effect of 64.89% inhibition at 60 minutes and 73.97% at 90 minutes in the serotonin and histamine oedema models, respectively. It markedly decreased the paw oedema induced by formalin at 100 mg/kg on days 5, 6 and 7 with percentage inhibition of oedema of 87.04%, 86.35% and 99.05%, respectively, and gave a peak inhibition of granuloma tissue development (19.94%) at 200 mg/kg in the cotton pellet granuloma model. Total phenolic, proanthocyanidin and flavonoid contents of the extract were 42.74±0.037 mg/g (gallic acid equivalent), 41.94±0.042 mg/g (catechin equivalent) and 44.62±0.010 mg/g (quercetin equivalent), respectively. The results justify the use of the plant in the preparation of ethno-medicines used in the treatment of inflammation and provide evidence for further research on its mechanism of action and use.