Anti-inflammatory Activities of the Chloroform Extract of the Fruit of Tetracarpidium conophorum (Mull. Arg.) (Nigerian Walnuts)
Famobuwa E. Olaniyi *
Department of Chemistry, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Nigeria
Osho I. Bamidele
Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Akinlami O. Omokehinde
Department of Chemistry, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Nigeria
Agbowuro A. Ayodeji
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Jos, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the chloroform extract of the fruit of Tetracarpidium conophorum (CEFTC).
Methods: CEFTC was evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity using standard formalin-induced rat paw edema. The activities of the extract at different doses were compared to diclofenac, a standard anti-inflammatory drug.
Results: In all the experiments, the chloroform extract of T. conophorum at 400 mg/Kg showed anti-inflammatory effects which were significant (p=.05) and comparable to those of diclofenac, whereas CEFTC at 200 mg/Kg was pro-inflammatory. This suggests that the extract could be harmful at low doses.
Conclusion: The results showed that CEFTC at 400 mg/Kg possesses significant anti -inflammatory activity comparable to that of diclofenac, one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). This supports its use as a potent anti-inflammatory drug in herbal medicine.
Keywords: Tetracarpidium conophorum, fruit extract, inflammation, diclofenac, formalin