Evaluation of antiinflammatory activity of Tephrosia purpurea in rats

Objective:To evaluate the antiinflammatory activity of orally administered ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea in acute and subacute inflammation in rats.Methods:An ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea was prepared.Carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma were the models for acute and subacute inflammation respectively.Four groups of rats in each model were treated orally with 2%gum acacia,100 mg /kg of aspirin,500 mg/kg and 1 000 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea respectively.In carrageenan induced paw edema model, subplantar injection of 1%carrageenan was made into the hind paw of the rats sixty minutes after the administration of the respective drugs.The paw volume was measured immediately after injection of carrageenan,at 3 hours and at 6 hours.Then percentage inhibition of edema was calculated.In the cotton pellet granuloma model,animals were administered drugs for six days after placing cotton pellets in the axilla on each side.On the 7th day,dry weight of granuloma was calculated.Results:The rats treated with Tephrosia purpurea did not exhibit any significant decrease in paw volume and serum ceruloplasmin levels as compared to the control and aspirin treated groups in the acute inflammation model;while,there was a significant(P 【 0.01) decrease in the weight of granuloma in Tephrosia purpurea and aspirin treated groups as compared to control in subacute inflammation.Conclusions:The ethanolic extract of orally administered Tephrosia purpurea shows significant antiinflammatory effect in subacute inflammation but not in acute inflammation in rats.

Wound healing activity of Abroma augusta in Wistar rats

Objective:The study was undertaken to evaluate the wound healing profile of alcoholic extract of Abroma augusta and its effect on dexamethasone suppressed wound healing in Wistar rats.Methods:An alcoholic extract of Abroma augusta was prepared.Three models were used - incision,excision and dead space wound models. Four groups of animals were used for each model.They were administered 2%gum acacia(orally),alcoholic extract of Abroma augusta(orally),dexamethasone(intramuscularly) and combination of Abroma augusta(orally) with dexamethasone(intramuscularly) respectively.The parameters studied included breaking strength of incision wound,period of epithelization and wound contraction rate in the excision wound,breaking strength,dry weight and hydroxyproline content of granulation tissue in dead space wound.Results:The breaking strength of incision wound of Abroma augusta treated group was significantly increased(P <0.001 ) while that of dexamethasone treated animals was significantly decreased(P<0.001) as compared to control. Coadministration of dexamethasone and Abroma augusta significantly reversed the dexamethasone suppressed wound healing in incision wound model(P< 0.001 ).Animals treated with both dexamethasone and Abroma augusta also showed significant(P <0.004) increase in the breaking strength of granulation tissue in the dead space wound and a significant(P <0.011) reduction in the period of epithelization in the excision wound as compared to rats treated with dexamethasone alone.The rate of wound contraction was not significantly altered in any of the groups.Conclusion:The alcoholic extract of Abroma augusta was found to reverse dexamethasone suppressed wound healing.