ABSTRACT
Ginger, a herbal product with broad anti inflammatory actions, is used as an alternative medicine in a number of inflammatory conditions. Confirmation of this contribution was sought in this study in Sprague-Dawley rats [140 +/- 30 g] treated with a single injection [0.1 ml of 0.5mg/ml of a commercial preparation of Freund's complete Adjuvant [FCA] to induce mono-arthritis in intra-planters in right hind paw. Before induction of arthritis by one week, each rat [in the prophylactic group] received a daily oral dose of ginger tea with a dose of 500mg/Kg, and after induction of arthritis by two days, each rat [in the treatment group] received a daily oral dose of ginger tea with a dose of 500mg/Kg. This confirmation was done by evaluating RBCs count, WBCs count, platelets count, hemoglobin content, hematocrit%, albumin level, alkaline phosphatase concentration, reduced glutathione concentration [GSH], plasma malondialdehyde concentration [MDA], superoxide dismutase concentration [SOD], body weight change, paw thickness, serum level of immunoglobulin G and Histopathological study of the soft tissue and the hard bony tissue. Within 2 days of FCA injection, the control group produced maximum edematous swelling of the paw that was sustained nearly up to the end of the investigation period. But, ginger, both in prophylactic and treated groups, significantly lower magnitudes of unsustained swelling of the paw during the investigation period. Also in ginger prophylactic and treated groups significant increase in body weight compared to arthritic group. Here, ginger prophylactic and treated groups showed remarkable improvement in the haematolgical parameters compared to arthritic group. There was significant increase in albumin level, significant decrease in alkaline phosphatase concentration, significant increase in reduced glutathione concentration, superoxide dismutase concentration and significant decrease in plasma malondialdehyde concentration in ginger prophylactic and treated groups compared to arthritic group. Histological results showed moderate improvement, against arthritic effect of FCA, either as treatment or as prophylactic. From these results, it is concluded that ginger can protect and reduce the inflammatory and oxidative responses produced in a FCA mono-arthritic model of rats