ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The ethnobotanical survey of the South-western Satpuda ranges has continued for decades. However, very few disease-specific surveys and their pharmacological validation have been published. The present study aimed to identify, document, and pharmacologically validate the tribal knowledge on anti-inflammatory medicinal plants. METHODS: The field survey was conducted over a year from July 2015 to June 2016, scattered in the South-Western region of Satpuda Ranges. Documentation and identification of the medicinal herbs used often in the treatment of inflammatory conditions. Two plants, namely Eulophia herbacea Lindl., and Grewia flavescens A. Juss. were commonly used for inflammatory conditions. Phytopharmacological validation was done using carrageenan induced inflammation and CFA-induced arthritis. RESULTS: The current investigation identified 32 plants from 22 different families as anti-inflammatory plants. G. flavescens exhibited substantial antiarthritic action in complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats, and E. herbacea showed powerful anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model. This activity might be attributed to the presence of gallic acid, quercetin, ß-sitosterol and lupeol. CONCLUSION: The research reveals that selected plants had anti-inflammatory properties in both acute and chronic inflammation. Further studies to highlight the exact mechanism of action of these plants are warranted.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Inflammation/drug therapy , Plant Preparations , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/classification , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Arthritis, Experimental/drug therapy , Arthritis, Experimental/immunology , Disease Models, Animal , Humans , India , Phytotherapy/methods , Phytotherapy/statistics & numerical data , Plant Preparations/classification , Plant Preparations/pharmacology , Plant Preparations/therapeutic use , Plants, Medicinal/classification , Rats , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
The leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam., Moringaceae, are used by the Indians in their herbal medicine as a hypolipidemic agent in obese patients. Albino Wistar rats were fed with methanolic extract of M. oleifera (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) and simvastatin (4 mg/kg, p.o.) along with hyperlipidemic diet for 30 days. Moringa oleifera and simvastatin were found to lower the serum cholesterol, triacylglyceride, VLDL, LDL, and atherogenic index, but were found to increase the HDL as compared to the corresponding high fed cholesterol diet group (control). The Moringa oleifera methanolic extract was also investigated for its mechanism of action by estimating HMG CO-A reductase activity. Moringa oleifera was found to increase the excretion of fecal cholesterol. Thus, the study demonstrates that M. oleifera possesses a hypolipidemic effect.
As folhas de Moringa oleifera Lam., Moringaceae, são usados na medicina natural da Índia como um agente hipolipemiante em pacientes obesos. Ratos albinos Wistar foram alimentados com extrato metanólico de M. oleifera (150, 300 e 600 mg/kg, p.o.) e sinvastatina (4 mg/kg, p.o.), juntamente com dieta hiperlipídica por 30 dias. Moringa oleifera e sinvastatina reduziram o colesterol, triacilglicerídeoss, VLDL, LDL e índice aterogênico, mas não aumentaram o HDL em comparação com o grupo controle, com dieta rica em colesterol. O mecanismo de ação do extrato metanólico de Moringa oleifera foi também investigado estimando atividade de HMG CO-A redutase. Moringa oleifera aumentou a excreção fecal de colesterol. Assim, o estudo demonstra que a M. oleifera parece ter efeito hipolipemiante.
