Anti-inflammatory activity of Albizia lebbeck Benth., an ethnomedicinal plant, in acute and chronic animal models of inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
Albizia lebbeck Benth. is used both in Indian traditional system and folk medicine to treat several inflammatory pathologies such as asthma, arthritis and burns. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the scientific basis of anti-inflammatory activity of different organic solvent extracts of Albizia lebbeck.


METHODS
The anti-inflammatory activity of Albizia lebbeck was studied using the carrageenan, dextran, cotton pellet and Freund's complete adjuvant induced rat models. The extracts obtained using petroleum ether, chloroform and ethanol were administered at the concentrations of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg body weight.


RESULTS
The petroleum ether and ethanol extracts at 400mg/kg, showed maximum inhibition of inflammation induced by carrageenan (petroleum ether-48.6%; ethanol-59.57%), dextran (petroleum ether-45.99%; ethanol-52.93%), cotton pellet (petroleum ether-34.46%; ethanol-53.57%) and Freund's adjuvant (petroleum ether-64.97%; ethanol-68.57%).


CONCLUSIONS
The marked inhibitory effect on paw edema shows that Albizia lebbeck possesses remarkable anti-inflammatory activity, supporting the folkloric usage of the plant to treat various inflammatory diseases.
Babu
N Prakash
NP
Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India.
Pandikumar
P
P
Ignacimuthu
S
S
D031289:Albizzia; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002351:Carrageenan; D032561:Cotton Fiber; D003911:Dextrans; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003911:Dextrans; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002351:Carrageenan; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant