ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF SALVADORA OLEOIDES DECNE.

Abstract

The plant Salvadora oleoides Decne is a small herb, grows particularly along rocks and in the dry mountainous areas of Gujarat. The preliminary phytochemical screening with the various qualitative chemical tests revealed the presence of glycosides, phytosterols, fixed oils and fats, saponins and triterpenes in the leaf extracts of Salvadora oleoides. The anti-inflammatory effect of chloroform, ethyl acetate, alcohol and water extracts of Salvadora oleoides leaf were tested on various animal models. All the extracts were tested at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight. The chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of leaves of Salvadora oleoides, does not produce significant anti-inflammatory activity, while alcohol and water extracts, at the dose of 400 mg/kg body weight, produced dose dependent and significant inhibition of paw edema induced by carrageenan, histamine and serotonin. The exhibited anti-inflammatory activity was comparable with the standard drug indomethacin.