A pilot evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of Culcasia scandens, a traditional antirheumatic agent.

OBJECTIVE

To screen the anti-inflammatory potentials of a popular traditional antirheumatic herb, Culcasia scandens.

DESIGN

The leaves of Culcasia scandens were collected, identified, dried, and reduced to coarse powder and extracted with methanol. The methanol extract was fractionated into seven fractions. The fractions were subjected to phytochemical analysis to identify the biologically active constituents. The anti-inflammatory activity of the crude (methanol) extract (CE) and the fractions were determined in rats. The crude extract was also subjected to acute toxicity tests.

RESULTS

The extract was partitioned into seven fractions (F1-F7) using preparative thin layer chromatography. Fraction F1 and the methanol-insoluble fraction (F9) did not exhibit any anti-inflammatory activity. The other fractions showed anti-inflammatory activity in the following order F6> F2> F5> F4> F8> F3> F7> CE. The anti-inflammatory potency of F2 and F6 at the dose tested were greater than that of aspirin (100 mg/kg). Phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of reducing sugars, carbohydrates, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and an unsaturated lactone ring of steroids. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the crude extract in the mice was greater than 5 g/kg. The results indicate that the leaves of C. scandens have good potential as an anti-inflammatory agent.