Antiinflammatory and antiulcer activities of Bambusa arundinacea

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Abstract

The extracts of Bambusa arundinacea have been used in Indian folk medicine to treat various inflammatory conditions. The plant has got antiulcer activity also. It is thought that these two properties in the same extract are very much useful in the treatment of inflammatory conditions. It is well known fact that the most of the available antiinflammatory drugs are ulcerogenic. The antiinflammatory effect of the methanol extract of the leaves of Bambusa arundinacea against carrageenin-induced as well as immunologically induced paw oedema and also its antiulcer activity in albino rats have been studied and found to be significant when compared to the standard drugs. The combination of methanol extract and phenylbutazone (Non-Steroidal Antiinflammatory Agent, NSAIA) has been studied and found to be the most potent antiinflammatory activity experimentally with least toxic (no ulcerogenic) activity. Thus, the combination of herbal product (methanol extract of Bambusa arundinacea) with modern medicine (NSAIAs) will produce the best antiinflammatory drug and will be useful for long-term treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis with peptic ulcer, which are common.

Introduction

The leaves of Bambusa arundinacea are emmenogogue, useful in inflammatory conditions, heals the wound and they are also used to check diarrhea in cattle (Kirtikar and Basu, 1990). Manna is a crystalline substance found inside the bamboo and leaves are also used in Ayurvedic medicine in ptosis and paralytic complaints (Kirtikar and Basu, 1990, Aman, 1985). Though the plant and its extracts have been used in the folk medicine extensively, but no scientific evidence for such activities is available in established scientific journals of repute.

Hence, in the present study, it is planned to investigate various immunopharmacological activities of this plant’s extracts and also it is thought worthwhile to see whether the plant has got any antiulcer activity. The antiinflammatory and antiulcer activities of the extracts are discussed here. Only the methanol extract was found to be active and significant. The chloroform and petroleum ether (PE) extracts were inactive.

Section snippets

Collection of plant

The leaves of Bambusa arundinacea were collected near Porur, Chennai, India and identified by D. Narayanappa, Chief Botanist, Tampcol, Tamilnadu Medicinal Plant Farms and Herbal Medicine Corporation Ltd, Government of Tamilnadu, India. (This plant is also available in Tanzania.) This plant is called in English as “spiny or thorny bamboo” due to the presence of thorns in the branch, which will be easily identified. It belongs to family Gramineae.

Preparation of the plant extract

The leaves of the plant were dried in shade,

Acute toxicity study

The plant extract did not produce any significant changes in the autonomic responses at the dose levels studied. These animals were less active compared to the vehicle-treated ones. The LD50 of the methanol extract was 1812.5 mg/kg (i.p.) and 2552.2 mg/kg (p.o.).

Antiinflammatory effect of methanol extract on carrageenin-induced paw oedema

The methanol extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg reduced the inflammatory increase in paw volume to 0.03±0.03 ml (percentage inhibition of oedema is 86.96%) at 1 h, which was highly significant (P<0.0001), when compared to the control group of

Discussion

The use of various herbal medicines for various disorders is now widely accepted. However, both in the clinical practice and diagnostic and therapeutic, these system fail to find exacting correlates with those in modern medicines. The disease classification is essentially based on symptomatology and therapy designed with varied preocccupations. It becomes difficult therefore to define with certainty, the pharmacological activity to be evaluated with respect to the traditionally prescribed use

Summary and conclusion

Significant antiinflammatory effect was shown by the methanol extract on carrgeenin-induced oedema in rats. Enhanced antiinflammatory activity was shown by the methanol extract, when it was combined with phenylbutazone (NSAIA). The antiinflammatory activity shown by the methanol extract of Bambusa arundinacea may be due to other than that of prostaglandins synthesis inhibition. One such possibility is that the antiinflammatory and antiulcer activity of the methanol extract may be due to the

Acknowledgements

I am very much grateful to the Management and Dean of Faculties, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute (Deemed University), Porur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India for their financial assistance by providing the reagents and animals without any interruption.

I am also thankful to the present Management and Vice-Chancellor, The Hubert Kairuki Memorial University (Faculty of Medicine), Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, East Africa for extending all the possible helps to continue my research on

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