In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of Harrisonia perforata root extract

Introduction:Harrisonia perforata root is one of the five medicinal plants in Bencha-Loga-Wichien remedy used for the treatment of fever in Thai traditional medicine. This study was aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect and the action mechanism of the ethnolic extract from the root of H. perforatain vivo and in vitro. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups and treated with either the ethanolic extract of H. perforata at dose 5-400 mg/kg or indomethacin 5 mg/kg or vehicle. Rat paw volume was measured at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h after carrageenan injection. The in vitro mechanism of the antiinfammatory response was investigated through the measurement of mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in the macrophage cell. Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophage, J774A.1 cell, were exposed to different concentration of Harrisonia perforata root extract (12.5-50 μg/ml). mRNA expression, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Results:H. perforata root extract 50-400 mg/kg significantly reduced the effect of acute inflammation in rat paw edema by 28.49%-65.05% at 2 hour after carrageenan injection. Cell viability were not significantly altered by the presence of H. perforata extract 3.125-50 μg/ml. It was found that the maximum inhibitory effect for TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were 49.83, 47.27 and 32.16% respectively. The concentration of the extract produced maximum effect were 50 μg/ml for both TNF-α and IL-1β but for IL-6, it was 12.5 μg/ml. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract from H. perforata root possesses anti-inflammatory effect. This may occur via suppression of proinflammatory cytokines.