Appraisal of anti-inflammatory potential of the clubmoss, Lycopodium clavatum L.

Studies on four extracts prepared with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol as well as the alkaloid fraction from the aerial parts of Lycopodium clavatum L. of Turkish origin using acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability assessment in mice revealed that only the chloroform extract and the alkaloid fraction displayed marked anti-inflammatory effect at a dose of 500 mg/kg having percentage of inhibition 24.3 and 32.1, respectively, as compared to indomethacin, which exhibited 44.6% of inhibition at 10 mg/kg dose. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the alkaloid fraction of Lycopodium clavatum revealed that the alkaloidal-type of compounds might possibly be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract, which supports the folk medicinal utilization of the plant. Gas chromatographic–mass spectrophotometric analysis of the active alkaloid fraction revealed that lycopodine (84.5%) is the major component.