Anti-inflamatory and analgestic actions of red and white lotus seeds (nelumbo nucifera) in albino rats

Abstract

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Nelumbo nucifera (lotus) seeds, red and white types were assessed and compared in albino rats. The carrageenin induced paw oedema was one of the acute inflammatory models followed in anti-inflammatory screening. The acute and chronic type pain models viz., tail flick method and experimental neuropathy model of analgesic activity, respectively, were adopted for analgesic screening. Diclofenac potassium at the rate of 3 mg/kg was used as a standard drug for both the studies. In cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme inhibition assays the celecoxib @ 10mg/kg was used as a standard drug. Both red and white types of lotus seeds at the dose rate of 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg were taken for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies. Anti-inflammatory effect of red and white lotus seeds was found to be effective in all phases of carrageenin induced inflammation. The higher dose groups of lotus seed extracts were revealed more inhibition than their corresponding lower dose. While comparing all groups, the higher dose group of white lotus seed, exhibited more pronounced inhibition of paw oedema than others. Analgesic effect was found to be significant in both acute and chronic analgesic models. The analgesic activity was more in tail flick method when compared to experimental neuropathy model. The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme inhibition assays in both ELISA and spectrophotometer showed significant effect than control. The percentage of inhibition of COX-2 was more evidenced in both lotus seed extract of higher dose groups than its lower dose. However, the higher dose groups of white lotus seed exhibited more control over inhibition of COX-2 enzyme than others. . In case of biochemical parameters in both anti-inflammatory and analgesic screening the serum cholesterol level was found to be decreased in treatment groups when compared to control. Even though, there was a reduction in serum cholesterol level, all the values were within the normal range. The rise in serum level of AST and ALT in both inflammation and analgesic models were noticed in lower dose treated group. Conversely, there was a reduction in level of enzyme was noticed in higher dose treated groups. However, the values were with in the normal level. Both the studies showed the haematological parameters viz., total leukocyte and differential counts were within the normal range in all groups, even though a non-significant increase in neutrophil count than lymphocyte was noticed in carrageenin induced inflammation and tail flick method in rats.