ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES OF OIL PALM LEAF (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) EXTRACT IN AGED RATS

摘要

Most chronic conditions (aging, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, allergies, AIDS) are linked to hyper or hypo -active immune functions and therefore the need to look for new anti-inflammatory functional food. Objectives: This research aims at investigating the anti-inflammatory properties of oil palm leaf (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) ethanol extract in aged Sprague dawley rats. Methods: Delayed type hypersensitivity, induced by intraperitoneal injection of sheep red blood cells, was measured by footpad inflammatory response, and used as an indicator of cell mediated immunity. Results: Oil palm leaf extract (OPLE) at 150 mg/kg body weight bw showed significant pro-inflammatory with enhanced 46% late phase inflammation recovery effects. While at high dose, inflammation was significantly suppressed prior to the sixth hour compared to other groups, and did not require much inflammation suppression between the 18th and 48th hour. OPLE 150 mg/kg bw decreased lymphocyte counts, but was not as severely as dexamethasone treatment. Conclusion: This result suggests that OPLE extract possess strong in-vivo inflammatory-regulatory effects