Anti inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the methanol leaf extract of <i>Acacia ataxacantha</i> D.C.(Leguminosae) in mice and rats

Abstract

Acacia ataxacantha (Leguminosae) has been reported to be used in traditional medicine for management of pain and inflammation. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti inflammatory and antipyretic activities of methanol leaf extract of Acacia ataxacantha in rats. The acute toxicity study was carried out using Lorke method (1983). The doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the extract) selected for the study were based on the calculated LD₅₀. Anti- inflammatory activities were investigated using the carragenaan and albumin induced paw edema, while the antipyretic activity was evaluated using yeast induced pyrexia method. With respect to the negative control (group 1), the carragenaan induced inflammation produced a dose dependent significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction of inflammation at 200 and 400 mg/kg (3^rd h) while a significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in oedema was observed at doses of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg (4^th h). Similarly there were significant inhibitions (p ≤ 0.05) of inflammation at the 20^th, 40^th, 60^th and 120^th minutes post extract administration in albumin induced hind-paw inflammation. The data obtained from the antipyretic study showed no significant effect. These findings suggest that the extract may contain bioactive compounds that possess anti-inflammatory activities, thus supporting the ethno-medical use of the plant in the management of painful inflammation.

Keywords: Acacia ataxacantha, Inflammation, Pyrexia, Carragenaan, Albumin, Yeast