ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANALGESIC ACTIVITIES OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF PONGAMIA PINNATA STEM BARK

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential of the methanolic extract of pongamia pinnata stem bark (PSBE) in different experimental animal models. PSBE (200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in acute (carrageenan induced hind paw edema) and chronic (cotton pellet granuloma) models of inflammation PSBE did not show any sign of toxicity and mortality up to a dose level of 10.125 g/kg, p.o. in mice. Both acute as well as chronic administration PSBE (200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg, p.o.) did not produce any gastric lesion in rats. The analgesic activity was tested by acetic acid-induced writhing response in albino mice and tail flick method in albino rats. Its methanolic extract shows the most effective anti-inflammatory activity at doses of 200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg significantly throughout the observation period. In the tail flick model, the PSBE in the above doses increased the pain threshold significantly after 30 min., 1, 2, and 4 hr. of administration. pongamia pinnata showed dose-dependent action in all experimental animal models. Keywords: - Pongamia pinnata, Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, acute toxicity