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Table 2: Antiinflammatory effect of methanolic extract of Acalypha indica L. in carrageenan-induced rat paw
inflammationa.
Dose (mg/kg Increase in paw volume (ml Hg displaced X 1000) ± SEM (Percent inhibition)
Treatment
body weight) 1h 2h 3h 4h 24 h
Control (saline) --- 58.6 ± 1.5 70.9 ± 2.0 76.7 ± 2.3 89 ± 1.7 47.1 ± 1.5
Methanolic 125 51.1 ± 1.4δ 56.2 ± 1.5ϕ 60.2 ± 1.3ϕ 71.3 ± 2.6ϕ 42.1 ± 1.3α
extract (12.8) (20.73) (21.51) (20.06) (10.62)
ϕ ϕ ϕ ϕ
Methanolic 250 47.2 ± 1.3 54.2 ± 1.6 53.2 ± 1.5 64.8 ± 1.8 41.2 ± 1.3β
extract (19.45) (23.55) (30.64) (27.35) (12.53)
ϕ ϕ ϕ ϕ
Phenyl- 100 43.9 ± 1.5 46.7 ± 1.7 47.9 ± 1.8 54.4 ± 2.2 38.2 ± 1.3δ
butazone (25.08) (34.13) (37.55) (39.01) (18.90)
a
Values are mean ± SEM (n=5); αP<0.1, βP<0.02, δP<0.01, ϕP<0.001 versus control, Student’s t-test.
for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh Study of antiinflammatory activity. The effect of
(ICDDR, B). The mice and rats were divided into four methanol extract on carrageenan (1%, w/v)-induced
groups of five animals per group. The animals were given inflammation in rat paw was investigated following the
standard diet developed by ICDDR, B and water ad method of Winter et al., (1962) with minor modifications.
libitum and kept in laboratory environment for seven Rats were randomly divided into four groups of five
days. They were fasted overnight before the experiment. animals per group, of which Groups II and III were given
All experimental protocols were pre-approved by the the extract, respectively at doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg
Human and Animal Experiment Ethics Committee, body weight. The dose of the samples was selected on the
University of Development Alternative (House No. 78, basis of folkloric use of the plant. Group I (control) was
Road 11A, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh) prior administered saline containing 1% Tween 80 (v/v) and
to the experiments. All chemicals used were of analytical group IV was administered the standard antiinflammatory
grade. drug phenylbutazone at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight.
Thirty minutes after oral administration of extract, saline
Preparation of test material. The extract was suspended or standard drug, 1% carrageenan solution was injected
in saline solution containing 1% Tween 80 such that each into the right hind paw of each animal. The volume of
ml of suspension contained 250 mg of the extract. paw oedema was measured at one hour intervals for a
period of 4 hours, and then a final measurement was made
Study of analgesic activity. Analgesic activity of the at 24 hour. For measurement of paw volume, the inflamed
methanol extract was studied in mice by acetic acid- paw was immersed into mercury contained in a U-tube,
induced writhing reflex method as described before which consisted of a right cylindrical glass tube (8 X 2.2
(Vogel and Vogel, 1997). Briefly, four groups of mice, cm) connected to a narrow side-arm (10 X 0.72 cm)
each consisting of five animals, were taken. Groups I and having a wall of uniform cross-section and open upper
II were orally administered the methanol extract at doses end. The volume of mercury displaced was recorded with
of 200 mg and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. a traveling microscope (ELFO Scientific Apparatus,
Group III (control group) was given only saline India). Prior to immersion into mercury, each inflamed
containing 1% Tween 80. Group IV was treated with the right hind paw was labeled with permanent marker pen so
standard drug aminopyrine at a dose of 50 mg/kg body that the immersion would be uniform in each episode. The
weight. One hour after administration of extract, saline or average percent increase in paw volume with time was
aminopyrine, mice were injected i.p. with 0.7% (v/v) calculated and compared against the control group.
acetic acid (0.1 ml/10 g body weight). Five minutes after Percent inhibition was calculated using the formula:
acetic acid injection, the number of writhing induced by % inhibition of paw oedema = (Vc – Vt) X 100
acetic acid was counted for 10 minutes. Vc
Pak. J. Pharm. Sci., Vol.23, No.3, July 2010, pp.256-258 257
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extract of Acalypha indica Linn.
Where Vc and Vt represent average paw volume of control could be due to inhibition of the enzyme cyclooxygenase
and treated animals, respectively. leading to inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis.
Significant inhibition of paw edema in the first hour study
RESULT could be attributed to the inhibition of histamine and/or
The effect of methanolic extract of Acalypha indica on serotonin release.
pain perception was studied in Swiss albino mice by
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258 Pak. J. Pharm. Sci., Vol.23, No.3, July 2010, pp.256-258