Abstract:
The anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic leaf extract (MLE) of Ixora coccinea Linn. (Rubiaceae) was
investigated in this study. MLE showed dose-dependent an ti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced rat paw
edema model (r = 0.7; P<0.01). MLE at a dose of 500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg showed maximum inhibition of
edema 36.7, •46.5, and 64.5% respectively (P<0.01}. Oral administration of MLE of rats at a dose of 1500 mg/kg
significantly inhibited peritoneal phagocytic cell infiltration (45.9%; P<Q.05), impaired nitric oxide (NO) production
in peritoneal cells (40.8%; P<0.01) and showed anti-histamine activity (54.9%; P<0.01). In vitro treatment of rat
peritoneal cells with MLE inhibited NO production dose-dependently (82.2% at 400 |ig/ml, r = 0.99; P<0.05). MLE
also possessed significant, dose-dependent in vitro anti-oxidant activity {r = 0.88; P<0.01; IC50 value = 8.0 p.g/ml},
membrane stabilizing activity (r = 0.81; P<0.01; IC50 value = 6.4 ng/ml) and lipid peroxidation activity (36.7% at
250 |xg/ml; P<0.01). Thirty-day oral treatment of rats with 1500 mg/kg did not show any adverse signs of toxicity
or behavioral changes. These results suggest that anti-inflammatory activity of /. coccinea is mediated via
inhibition NO production, phagocytic cell infiltration, anti-histamine effect, scavenging of free radicals, membrane
stabilizing activity and lipid peroxidation.
