Anti-inflammatory effect of Capparis decidua stems methanolic extract in acute and chronic inflammation models in rats

Abstract

Capparis decidua (Altondub) is used widely in folkloric medicine in Sudan due to its nutritional and medicinal values. In this study C. decidua stem methanolic extract was evaluated in acute and chronic inflammation models in rats. Carrageenan induced paw oedema was used as acute model to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of C. decidua stem at a dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg. Diclofenac sodium was used as standard drug. In chronic model, sterile cotton pellets (20mg) were surgically inserted subcutaneously under anesthesia in twenty rats to induce granuloma. C. decidua stem extract was tested at dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg, for 7 days, diclofinac sodium was also used as a reference drug. In acute model, oral administration of C. decidua stems extract at dose of 100, 200 and 400 exhibited a significant (p<0.05) dose dependent anti-inflammatory effect especially at 4th hours. The inhibition rates of paw oedema were 34.4, 44.4 and 65.3% respectively in stem extract and 82.0% in dichlofinac sodium. The high dose of stem extract (400mg/kg) was comparable to standard drug diclofenac sodium. In chronic model, the stem extract significantly reduced inflammatory oedema and masked the production of granulomatous tissue induced by cotton pellet granuloma. It is calculated that the C. decidua stem methanolic extract possesses potential anti-inflammatory effect in acute and chronic inflammation in rats. Further studies should be performed to explain the exact mechanism of C. decidua stems in inflammation.