title: Evaluation of an ethnomedicinal combination containing Semecarpus kurzii and Hernandia peltata used for the management of inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scientific validation of an ethnomedicinal combination consisting of Semecarpus kurzii Engler (Anacardeaceae) leaves (SKL) and Hernandia peltata Meisn (Hernandeaceae) stem-bark (HPB), traditionally used in ailments related to inflammation, pain and fever.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To validate in vivo and in vitro analgesic and antiinflammatory activities of methanol extract of SKL, HPB and their combination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analgesic activity was tested by acetic acid induced writhing reflex and tail flick in Swiss albino mice, while the anti-inflammatory activity was studied in acute, subacute and chronic model on Wistar rats. The vascular permeability, membrane stabilization and protein denaturation were examined to know the possible mode of action.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant (p < 0.01) analgesic (78.04% inhibition of writhing) and antiinflammatory (72.54% inhibition of paw edema) activity was observed in combination of SKL and HPB extracts at 250 mg/kg each. The SKL extract alone inhibits acetic acid-induced vascular permeability (64.4%) at 500 mg/kg, while in combination at 250 mg/kg each, the inhibition was 69.49% (p < 0.01). Furthermore, SKL in combination with HPB (0.25 mg/mL each) prevent RBC hemolysis (61.91%) and inhibition of protein denaturation (76.52%)-like indomethacin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SKL and HPB extract, alone (500 mg/kg) and in combination, (250 mg/kg each) had significant analgesic and antiinflammatory activity, probably by inhibiting the release of certain inflammatory mediators and membrane stabilization, due to the presence of triterpenes, tannins and related phytochemicals in the extracts. Thus, our results demonstrated that this combination provide the scientific rationale of its folk use.
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Seed Research, Kushmaur, Maunath Bhanjan, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sonali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Hemanta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Sk Milan
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Pallab K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Haldar
authors.forename: Asit B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Ambikesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahapatra
authors.forename: Pulok K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Sekhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakraborti
authors.forename: Debprasad
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
mesh_terms: D059787:Acute Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D049935:Hernandiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D018547:Plant Stems; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D031023:Semecarpus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D010936:Plant Extracts