Studies on Anti-inflammatory Activity of Crude Aqueous Extract of Clerodendron fragrans in Experimental Animals

Background: Clerodendron species have medicinal value, the plant has been selected and the antiinflammatory activity of aqueous extract of Clerodendron fragrans (AECL) was evaluated in several experimental models in rats. Methods: The anti-inflammatory activity of the leaves of Clerodendron fragrans has been evaluated using carrageenan, formaldehyde, histamine and egg white-induced rat paw oedema and cotton pellet?induced granuloma models in rats. Results: The aqueous extract of Clerodendron fragrans (AECL) exhibited significant (p < 0.01) anti-inflammatory activity in acute and chronic inflammatory animal models. At 500 mg/kg the aqueous extract exhibited maximum inhibition of 50.9% in carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema whereas the standard ibuprofen showed inhibition of 56.8% after 3 h of carrageenan challenge. The extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) exhibited significant (p < 0.01) antiinflammatory activity in formaldehyde, histamine and egg white- induced rat paw oedema. In the chronic model (cotton pellet induced granuloma), the AECL (500 mg/kg) produced maximum inhibition of 38.5% in granuloma weight compared with 44.0% reduction in granuloma weight for the standard. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of C. fragrans elicited pronounced anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory animals at the doses investigated