EVALUATION OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY AND TOTAL TANNIN CONTENT FROM THE LEAVES OF BACOPA MONNIERI (LINN.)

The methanolic leaf extract of Bacopa monnieri Linn. (Family: Scrophulariaceae) was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory activity, and total tannins content in different in-vivo and in-vitro methods. The anti-inflammatory activity was studied using carrageenan and histamine-induced rat paw edema test at different doses (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) of the methanol extract. At the dose of 400 mg/kg body weight, the extract showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity both in the carrageenan and histamine-induced oedema test models in rats showing 62.73% and 61.99% reduction in the paw volume comparable (P<0.01) to that produced by the standard drug indomethacin (67.08% and 70.76%) at 5 h respectively. The percentage inhibition of the oedema paw volume by the 400 mg/kg body weight of the extract was also statistically significant (P<0.05; P<0.01) compared favorably with the indomethacin treated animals at 1, 2, 3 4 and 5 h in both models. The total tannins content was calculated high and significant in methanol extract (105.90 mg of tannic acid equivalent per g of dry extract). Acute toxicity test showed that the plant part might be safe for pharmacological uses. Therefore, the obtained results tend to suggest the acute anti-inflammatory activity of the methanol extract of Bacopa monnieri leaves and thus provide the scientific basis for the traditional uses of this plant part as a remedy for pain, and inflammations.