Anti-Infl ammatory Activity of Ethanolic Leaf Extracts from Adenanthera pavonina (L) in Rats

Ethanolic extracts from the leaves of Adenanthera pavonina were assessed at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg for anti-inß ammatory effects using both acute and chronic inß ammatory models. The anti-diarrheal activity was also evaluated to support any possible evidence of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition. It was found that the doses possessed inhibitory effects on the acute phase of inß ammation as seen in carrageenan-induced hind paw edema as well as in a subacute study of cotton pellet-induced granuloma formation. The anti-inß ammatory activity elicited by the leaf extracts may be due to the inß uence of the active constituents such as beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol. A possible mechanism may also be due to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis which is also evidenced by the delay in the formation of wet faeces. Further study is required to postulate the exact molecular mechanism involved in this process of inhibition of inß ammation by these leaf extracts.