Anti-inflammatory activity of Terminalia paniculata bark extract against acute and chronic inflammation in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Terminalia paniculata Roxb. (Family-Combretaceae) is a wild tree commonly used in traditional ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of inflammation of parotid glands and in menstrual disorders.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the folk use of Terminalia paniculata on pharmacological grounds to evaluate the scientific basis of anti-inflammatory activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anti-inflammatory activity of Terminalia paniculata was studied against carrageenan-induced hind paw edema, air pouch inflammation and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis in rats. The aqueous extract of Terminalia paniculata bark (TPW) was administered at the concentrations of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg body weight.

RESULTS: TPW showed significant (p<0.05) anti-inflammatory activity by reducing the edema volume in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. Further, TPW (400mg/kg) also reduced the carrageenan-induced leukocyte migration (50.92 ± 5.71%) and myeloperoxidase activity (49.31 ± 5.24%) in air pouch exudates. TPW (200mg/kg) exhibits anti-rheumatic and analgesic activities by improving the altered haematological milieu (ESR, CRP, RF, WBC, RBC and Hb) and also by inhibiting the flexion scores and radiographic changes in CFA-induced arthritis. This extract also had significant (p<0.05) effects on the occurrence of secondary lesions compared to CFA control.

CONCLUSIONS: Terminalia paniculata bark may be a potential preventive or therapeutic candidate for the treatment of chronic inflammation and arthritis.