Anti-inflammatory, Antipruritic and Mast Cell Stabilizing Activity of Aristolochia Indica.

OBJECTIVES: Aristolochia indica has been widely used in the traditional medicine for the treatment of a variety of diseases. In the present study different extracts of roots of A. indica were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory, antipruritic and mast cell stabilizing activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anti-inflammatory activity was performed by compound 48/80 induced rat paw edema model and antipruritic activity by examining the incidence of scratching behavior. Mast cell stabilizing activity was performed by compound 48/80 and sheep serum induced mast cell degranulation methods. RESULTS: The ethanol extract (300 mg/kg) and petroleum ether extract (100 mg/kg) were found to inhibit mast cell degranulation significantly equivalent to that of standard drug ketotifen (69%) by compound 48/80 model. In sheep serum model the ethanol extracts (150 and 300 mg/kg) and petroleum ether extract (100 mg/kg) showed good mast cell stabilizing activity (66-67%). Ethanol extract at 150 mg/kg showed 70% reduction of rat paw oedema and also significantly reduced the scratching response. CONCLUSION: Results suggest A. indica has good mast cell stabilizing, anti-inflammatory and antipruritic activity.