Evaluation of the Anti-inflammatory Activity of Piper guineense Schumach. & Thonn. Seeds Fractions using In vitro and In vivo Models

摘要

Piper guineense Schumach. & Thonn. seeds are employed in ethnomedicine practice as therapy against inflammatory disorders. This study was designed to determine the most active anti-inflammatory fraction of P. guineense seed using in vitro and in vivomodels. Pulverized P. guineense seeds were partitioned into hexane and aqueous fractions using solvent-solvent partitioning method. Heat-induced protein denaturation, hypotonicity-induced hemolysis of erythrocyte membrane, anti-proteinase assays and formaldehyde-induced inflammation rat model were carried out. Results showed that hexane fraction of P. guineense seeds (HFPGS) significantly (P<0.01) inhibited heat-induced protein denaturation and proteinase activity while it stabilized (PO.05) erythrocytemembrane against hypotonicity-induced hemolysis when compared with aqueous fraction of P. guineense seeds (AFPGS). Furthermore, 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) HFPGS significantly (P<0.0) suppressed 2 % v/v formaldehyde-induced paw thickness in rats by 83.30 ± 0.03 % on the 7th day when compared with rats treated with 100 mg/kg b.w. AFPGS (34.08 ± 0.02%) and 10 mg/kg b.w. Diclofenac sodium (66.15 ± 0.05%). In addition, experimental rats treated with HFPGS had significantly (P<0.05) reduced alanine andaspartate aminotransferase activities and modulated hematological cells when compared with AFPGS rats. Thus, hexane fraction of P. guineense seeds showed substantial anti-inflammatory activity and could serve as a viable source for anti-inflammatory agent(s).