Anti-arthritis activity of roots of Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. (Anantmul) in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the protective effects of hydroalcoholic and its fractions from roots of Hemidesmus indicus on arthritis in in vitro models of rodents.


METHODS
Preliminary phytochemical analysis and thin-layer chromoatography were performed to analyze constituents of hydroalcoholic extract and its three fraction namely ethyl acetate fraction, chloroform fraction and residual fraction of root of Hemidesmus indicus. Arthritis rats models were established by Complete Freund's Adjuvant. The parameters including paw edema, body weight, arthritic index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum rheumatoid factor, serum C-reactive protein, serum nitrite level, and histopathology of synovial joints were observed. Methotrexate was taken as positive control.


RESULTS
Rats treated with hydroalcoholic extract (450 mg/kg, p.o.), ethyl acetate (75 mg/kg, p.o.), chloroform (60 mg/kg, p.o) and residual fractions (270 mg/kg, p.o.), showed significant decrease in physical and biochemical parameters compared with arthritic model rats. Hydroalcoholic extract and its ethyl acetate fraction of Hemidesmus indicus showed significantly higher anti-arthritic activity than chloroform and residual fraction. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that both of hydroalcoholic extract and its ethyl acetate fraction had comparable anti-arthritic activity with methotrexates.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggests that Hemidesmus indicus has protective activity against arthritis and the activity might be attributed to presence of terpenoid in hydroalcoholic extract, as well as in ethyl acetate fraction.
Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Technology and Engineering Kalabhavan, The M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. alkamehta5555@yahoo.com
Alka
A
Mehta
Neeraj K
NK
Sethiya
Chetan
C
Mehta
G B
GB
Shah
D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002725:Chloroform / Q000494:pharmacology; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004487:Edema / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D031102:Hemidesmus / Q000737:chemistry*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D000085:Acetates; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009573:Nitrites; C007650:ethyl acetate; D002725:Chloroform; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor