Ojewole John A O
Department of Pharmacology, University of Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Apr;85(2-3):217-20. doi: 10.1016/s0378-8741(03)00019-9.
This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of Sclerocarya birrea (family: Anacardiaceae) stem-bark aqueous and methanolic extracts in rats. Young adult, male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) weighing 250-300g were used. The anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous and methanolic stem-bark extracts of the plant (SB, 500mg/kg p.o.) were examined on rat paw oedema induced by subplantar injections of fresh egg albumin (0.5ml/kg). Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 100mg/kg p.o.) was used as the reference anti-inflammatory agent for comparison. Both the aqueous and methanolic stem-bark extracts of S. birrea (SB, 500mg/kg p.o.) progressively and time-dependently reduced rat paw oedema induced by subplantar injections of fresh egg albumin. However, the methanolic extract of the plant produced relatively greater and more pronounced anti-inflammatory effect than its aqueous extract counterpart in the experimental animal model used. The two extracts of S. birrea stem-bark were found to be markedly less potent than ASA as anti-inflammatory agent. Although both the aqueous and methanolic extracts of S. birrea stem-bark are less potent than ASA as anti-inflammatory agent, the results of this experimental animal study indicate that the extracts possess anti-inflammatory activity, and thus lend credence to the suggested folkloric use of the plant in the management and/or control of arthritis and other inflammatory conditions in certain communities of South Africa.
本研究旨在评估非洲芒果（漆树科）茎皮水提取物和甲醇提取物对大鼠的抗炎作用。选用体重250 - 300g的成年雄性Wistar大鼠（褐家鼠）。通过足底注射新鲜蛋清（0.5ml/kg）诱导大鼠足肿胀，考察该植物茎皮水提取物和甲醇提取物（SB，500mg/kg口服）的抗炎作用。以乙酰水杨酸（ASA，100mg/kg口服）作为参比抗炎药进行比较。非洲芒果茎皮水提取物和甲醇提取物（SB，500mg/kg口服）均能逐渐且呈时间依赖性地减轻足底注射新鲜蛋清诱导的大鼠足肿胀。然而，在所用实验动物模型中，该植物的甲醇提取物比其水提取物产生的抗炎作用相对更强且更显著。发现非洲芒果茎皮的两种提取物作为抗炎药的效力明显低于ASA。尽管非洲芒果茎皮水提取物和甲醇提取物作为抗炎药的效力均低于ASA，但该实验动物研究结果表明这些提取物具有抗炎活性，从而为南非某些社区将该植物用于治疗和/或控制关节炎及其他炎症性疾病的民间用法提供了依据。
