In vivo anti-inflammatory activity of Tabernaemontana divaricata leaf extract on male albino mice

AIM:To study the in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of Tabernaemontana divaricata leaf extract on male albino mice.METHODS:Aqueous decoction and methanol leaf extracts were tested for their ability to reduce croton oil-induced edema in the mouse ear after topical application.The methanol leaf extract dose-dependently inhibited the croton oil-induced ear edema in mice(ID50-2).A bioassay-guided liquid-liquid fractionation of this methanol extract gave four active fractions:water insoluble(F1),hexane(F2),ethyl acetate(F3) and water(F4).RESULTS:The hexane fraction showed a very high activity(42.1% inhibition at 0.7 μg·cm-2) as compared to the control.The other fractions were less active(F1:56.1% at 506.2 μg·cm-2;F3:57.3% at 289.3 μg·cm-2;and F4:31.9% for 203.8 μg·cm-2) while indomethacin gave 48.8% of inhibition at 90 μg·cm-2.The activity of F1 and F3 may be at least in part explained by the presence of anti-inflammatory flavonoids,while the activity was not correlated to the tannin contents.No compounds were detected in the most active F2 fraction.CONCLUSIONS:The results give a rational support to the traditional use of T.divaricata in tropical India as anti-inflammatory agent.