Informatics Publishing Limited

A. C. Ezugwu ¹, O. U. Njoku ², N. F. Ozoemena ³, P. E. Joshua ², U. Nwachi ⁴, O. F. C. Nwodo ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, NG
2 Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, NG
3 Department of Anatomy, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, NG
4 Department of Biochemistry, College of Medical Sciences, Ebonyi State University, NG

Abstract

The anti-inflammatory activity of the fruit extract of Rothmannia longiflora was carried out by evaluating its inhibitory effect on Phospholipase A2 and Prostaglandin Synthetase. As R. longiflora was found to have febrifugal and analgesic properties by reducing oedema formation; the ability of the extract to inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandin which is one of the mediators of inflammation, was utilized as the model for anti-inflammation. R. longiflora was found to significantly (p<0.05) inhibit the activity of both Phospholipase A2 and Prostaglandin Synthetase activities. The results of this study shows the anti-inflammatory activity of R. longiflora extract and suggest further investigations into the effects of specific constituent(s) of the plant on inflammation.

Keywords

Rothmannia longiflora, Inflammatory, Prostaglandin Synthetase, Phospholipase A2.

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A. C. Ezugwu ¹, O. U. Njoku ¹, N. F. Ozoemena ², O. F. C. Nwodo ¹, P. E. Joshua ¹

Affiliations
1 Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, NG
2 Department of Anatomy, University of Nigeria, Teaching Hospital, Enugu, NG

Abstract

This study reports the anti-inflammatory and membrane-stabilizing property of methanol extract of Rothmannia longiflora fruits. The egg albumin-induced rat paw oedema was utilized as the model for inflammation. The probable mode by which R. longiflora mediates its effects on inflammatory conditions was studied on human blood cells (RBC) exposed to hypotonic solution. The results of the study revealed that the extract possesses anti-inflammatory property. Rothmannia longiflora was found to significantly (p<0.05) reduce the oedema induced by the phlogistic agent in rats in a dose-related manner; the reduction was during the later phase of the inflammation. Also, the extract was shown to exhibit membrane-stabilizing property, as it significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of haemolysis of RBC exposed to hypotonic solution. The acute toxicity studies of methanol extract of Rothmannia longiflora fruit in mice revealed that it has high safety profile, as there was no death recorded in two stages of the test using intraperitoneal (ip) route.

Keywords

Rothmannia longiflora, Anti-Inflammatory, Membrane-Stabilizing Property, Oedema.

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