Abstract

The hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of Stephania dinklagei were screened for anti-inflammatory activities using carrageenan, kaolin-carrageenan and formaldehyde-induced paw edema models of inflammation. The extracts showed dose dependent anti-inflammatory activity with 300 mg/kg of the extracts being more potent. At 1 and 4 h, post carrageenan injection, the paw edema in the 100 and 300 mg/kg hexane and ethyl acetate treated mice was significantly lower than the paw edema in the control group. Treatment of mice with 100 and 300 mg/kg hexane and ethyl acetate extracts significantly suppressed the progression of edema post kaolin-carrageenan injection. The paw edema induced by formaldehyde in the 300 mg/kg hexane and ethyl acetate treated groups was significantly lower than edema in the other treatment groups on day 1, 4 and 8 post formaldehyde injections. The result of the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay showed that the hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts at 400 µg/ml exhibited 77.5, 58.4 and 51.7% activity, respectively. The ethylacetate extract showed maximum scavenging activity of 70.6% at 50 µg/ml. The results suggested that the hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of S. dinklagei possessed potent anti-inflammatory properties with the ethyl acetate extract showing the best activity.

Key words: Stephania dinklagei, carrageenan, kaolin, formaldehyde, edema, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH).