STUDIES ON THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANALGESIC EFFICACY OF SCINDAPSUS OFFICINALIS (ROXB.) SCHOTT IN LABORATORY ANIMALS

This research was focused on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of ethanolic extract of Scindapsus officinalis (EESO) fruit in laboratory animals and whether these effects were of any statistical significance.  Carrageenan-induced Hind Paw Edema test in long evans rat was the experiment for anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanolic extract of Scindapsus officinalis fruit while hot plate test was carried out to assess its analgesic activity in swiss albino mice. At two different doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight, the analgesic test was evaluated on mice and the anti-inflammatory test was evaluated on rats by the ethanolic extract of the fruit. Phytochemical analysis of ethanolic extract of Scindapsus officinalis has indicated the presence of steroid, carbohydrate, flavonoid, alkaloid, tanin, saponin and terpenoid-compounds. Since these compounds are of pharmacological interest, coupled with the use of this plant in traditional medicine, prompted us for its possible analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. The experimental activities for the ethanolic extract ofScindapsus officinalis fruit exhibited statistically significant (p<0.05) anti-inflammatoryactivity in Carrageenan-induced Hind PawEdema in long evans rat and statistically significant (P<0.05) analgesic activity in swiss albino mice in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, these observations provideevidence and possible mechanisms of action for the anti-inflammatoryand analgesic properties of fruit ofScindapsus officinalis claimed in Ayurveda medicine. Further studiesshould be undertaken to correlate the pharmacologicalactivities with the chemical constituents of the fruit of Scindapsus officinalis