Evaluation of a Unani herbal formulation containing colchicum, ginger and aloe for anti-inflammatory activity

Abstract

With an increased incidence of drug toxicity and resistance to allopathic drugs, natural products from plants could be interesting alternatives. Some plant extracts and phytochemicals are known to have anti-inflammatory properties, and can be of great significance in treatment of inflammatory disorders. These considerations require the scientific evaluation of the most important and commonly used traditional herbal formulations. A study has been done to find anti-inflammatory activity of Unani formulation derive from medicinally important plants like Zingiber officinal (Ginger), Colchicum luteum (Colchicum), and Aloe vera (Aloe). In this proposed work, we had modified powder of different mentioned plants into its solid state (tablet) by using gum Acacia. Its 50% alcoholic extract and aqueous extract were used to determine its anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenin induced oedema test and cotton pellet induced granuloma test. Efficacy of Unani formulation was compared with a standard referent drug, Diclofenac sodium. The obtained results using carrageenin oedema test showed decrease in the left hind paw volume significantly (p<0.001) after 3 hours of carrageenin injection. In cotton pellet induced granuloma test, animals in all the test and standard drug treated groups, shows reduction in granuloma formation significantly (p<0.001). Thus, our results clearly indicate that, modified form of the test formulation possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity in both acute and sub-acute phase.