Anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic and analgesic activity of a herbal formulation

Anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic and analgesic effect of a herbal product (DRF/AY/4012) was evaluated in animal models. Herbal product treatment induced a dose dependent anti-inflammatory activity in acute inflammatory models (carrageenin and egg-albumin induced rat hind paw edema). It also elicited promising anti-inflammatory activity in chronic inflammatory models (cotton pellet granuloma and Freund's adjuvant induced polyarthritis in rats). Further, the product inhibited the increased level of serum lysosomal enzyme activity viz. serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and the lipid peroxidation in liver. In Freund's adjuvant induced polyarthritis, herbal product reduced the increased level of hydroxy proline, hexosamine and total protein content in edematous tissue. The product also exhibited mild to moderate analgesic activity in acetic acid induced writhing in mice. The LD50 value of the herbal product was more than 16 gm/kg by oral route in mice. The product has distinct advantages over the existing agents and deserves further developmental studies.