ANTI – INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS OF WOODFORDIA FRUTICOSA STEMS BARK IN ANIMAL MODELS

Inflammation is an inflammatory process where histamine, kinin, prostaglandins and slow release substances are produced in the tissue of the body to cause irritation or injury. It consist three phases, dilation and increased permeability of small blood vessels resulting in oedema and swelling, emigration of leucocytes from venules, capillaries and cellular infiltration, proliferation of fibroblasts and synthesis of new connective tissue to repair the injury. Present study deals anti-inflammatory activity of extracts of Woodfordia fruticosa stems bark in animal models by mercury displacement volume method. Paw oedema was produced by injecting in a 0.1ml volume of formalin into the sub plantar tissue of the rat hind paw foot. The extracts of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous extracts were administered orally to the albino rats in their respective groups. Test drugs were given at a dose of 200mg/kg according to their body weight. The results of aqueous extract of barks exhibited statistically significant (**P<0.01 and *P<0.05) anti-inflammatory activity in albino rats. Maximum percentage inhibition had been found in aqueous extract (27.12%) of this stem barks. W. fruticosa extracts exhibited anti-inflammatory activity may be due to the presence of β-sitosterol which is neutralized the release of histamine and serotonin.