Attached
Introduction
As a result of the adverse effects caused by existing allopathic anti – inflammatory agents, investigations on the efficacy of plant based drugs have been seen as a fruitful research strategy in the search for new alternatives. Acronychia pedunculata (“Ankenda” in Sinhala, Family: Rutaceae) is a medicinal plant which has been used for centuries in traditional/ folk medicine in Sri Lanka. Our previous studies have shown that 70% ethanol extract of leaves of this plant has significant anti-inflammatory activity on the carrageenan induced rat bind paw oedema test model.
Objective
In the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of evolitrine which was isolated as a major alkaloid from A. pedunculata leaves, by using the same in-vivo model.
Conclusion
As evolitrine alone has shown an enhancement of anti-inflammatory activity when compared to the initial crude extract, it was identified as a major anti-inflammatory compound present in A. pedunculata leaves
