Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of Calotropis gigantea (AKANDA) in various biological system.

To evaluate the effect of Calotropis G in various experimental animal models. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenin-induced kaolin -induced rat paw oedema for acute and cotton-pellet granuloma, adjuvant-induced arthritis model for chronic inflammation. Antipyretic activity was carried out using yeast induced pyresis method. Phenylquinone--induced writhing method in mice was used for analgesic activity. Test compounds exhibited variable anti-inflammatory activity and peak activity of the test compounds were reached at 2 h. Alkaloid fraction possesses comparatively high initial anti-inflammatory activity. The residual anti-inflammatory activity of alkaloid fraction of Calotropis G suggest either a greater protein binding nature of the compound there by providing a slow released pool of active drug molecule in the system or non available of possible bioactive metabolites to retain the activity profile relation.

Hypolipidemic activity of Indan--1--acetic acids.

To study the hyoplipidemic activity of non-methoxy and methoxy substituted--alkyl indan acetic acids in normogenic and hypergenic animal models. The hyoplipidemic activity was evaluated using normogenic and hypergenic rat models. Indan acids synthesized in our laboratory (50 mg/kg) and the standard drug clofibrate (50 mg/kg) were used for this study. Dimethoxy substituted -methyl and -ethyl indan acetic acids (9 & 10) exhibited significant hypocholesterolemic activity in both animal models. Clofibrate showed cholesterol lowering activity of 18% in normogenic rats while test agents 9 and 10 produced a similar activity of 20% and 17% respectively. Liver cholesterol and liver weight of the animals tested were found normal in case of the test compounds while liver weight was increased by 15% in clofibrate treated rats. LDL and VLDL cholesterol levels were also affected by compounds No. 9 and 10. Compounds having a smaller alkyl groups (R = CH3, C2H5) at--carbon atom of the acetic acid moiety exhibited significant hypocholesterolemic activity.