PhD

Boerrhavia diffusa L. (F. Nyctaginaceae) has been used
in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of liver, gall-
bladder, urinary and many other diseases for ages. The
present study was aimed (1) to assess the anti-inflammatory
activity of different extracts of B. diffusa, (2) to find
out the possible mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity,
if any, (3) to assess the hepatoprotective activity of the
methanolic extract and (4) to assess the immunodulatory
activity of the methanolic extract.



The methanolic,


Aqueous,


chloroform and petroleum


ether extracts were tested for anti-inflammatory activity
by the carrageenan induced rat paw oedema method at 2 dose
rates 200 and 400mg/kg bw p.o., and compared with that of
diclofenac sodium given @ 3 mg/kg p.o. The percentage



inhibition of paw oedema was


42


and 55


per cent



respectively for the methanolic extract @ 200 and 400
mg/kg, while it was -20 per cent and +20 per cent for the
aqueous extract at poth dose rates tested. The percentage
inhibition of oedema was 20 and -15 per cent for the
chloroform extract and -20 and -10 per cent for the
petroleum ether extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg dose rates



respectively.


Diclofenac sodium produced a percentage

inhibition of 52.5 per cent. Since the methanolic extracts
@ 400 mg/kg produced significant anti-inflammatory activity
comparable to that of diclofenac sodium, the methanolic
extract was selected for further studies.
The methanolic extract was further tested for anti-



inflammatory


activity


by


the


cotton


pellet


induced



granuloma formation method also.


The percentage anti-



inflammatory activity was found to be 24.31 and 43.25 per
cent for the extract @ 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively,
while it was 64.4 per cent for diclofenac sodium. The
levels of serum acid phosphatase, adrenal ascorbic acid,
serum and liver proteins of the rats given the extract @
400 mg/kg were near to that of the rats given diclofenac



sodium,


thus


showing that


the methanolic extract


of



B. diffusa had significant anti-inflammatory activity in
the chronic model of inflammation also.
To assess the antioxidant activity of the extract In



vi tro,


the effect on inhibition of superoxide radical



formation,


lipid peroxide


formation and nitric


oxide



radical formation were assessed. The results showed that



the


extract


possessed


significant


inhibitory


activity



against all there radicals in vitro.





Serial fractionation of the extract using different
solvents yielded neutral, acidic, phenolic alkaloidal and
strongly basic alkaloidal fractions which were then tested
for anti-inflammatory activity by the carrageenan induced
rat paw oedema formation method. The neutral, phenolic
alkaloidal and strongly basic alkaloidal fractions produced
6.67, 10 and 23 per cent inhibition, while diclofenac
sodium produced 60.4 per cent inhibition. In order to
assess the hepatoprotective activity of the extract against
CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats, the levels of Alanine
amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, alkaline
phosphatase, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin were
estimated in the serum 36 hours after the administration of




CCI4• The levels of all the parameters (which were elevated
significantly in the group given CCl4 alone) were decreased
in a dose dependent manner, in the groups given the extract
at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg, with a significant
decrease seen in the latter group. The histopathological
findings


were


also


confirmatory


proving


the







hepatoprotective activity of the extract.
The immuno modulatory activity of the methanolic
extract was' also evaluated by testing its effect on the
hematological parameters, circulating antibody titre and
antibody forming cells in the spleen of Balb/c mice. The

resul t at both dose rates tested, stimulated the humoral
immune response, as shown by an increase in antibody
forming cells in the spleen and circulating antibody titre
against sheep red blood cells (SRBC).
Thus from the present study, it could be concluded
that
(1) the methanolic extract of B. diffusa @ 400 mg/kg has
significant anti-inflammatory activity in rats.
(2) It has multiple facets of action including antioxidant
effect.
(3) It has significant hepatoprotective activity.
(4) It has immunostimulant activity also.