STUDIES ON ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF SPICE PRINCIPLES AND DIETARY N-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS ON CARRAGEENAN-INDUCED INFLAMMATION INRATS

The antioxidant spice principles curcumin and eugenol when given by ga vage lowered the carrageenan-induced edema in the foot pads of rats. T his lowering effect was dependent on the concentration, the time gap b etween the administration of spice principles and the induction of inf lammation by carrageenan. Dietary lipids also influenced the extent of inflammation. Animals fed 10% cod liver oil [containing n-3 polyunsat urated fatty acids (PUFA)] for 10 weeks showed a significantly lower i nflammation compared to that observed in animals fed diets supplemente d with 10% groundnut oil (rich in n-6 PUFA) or 10% coconut oil (rich i n medium-chain saturated fatty acids). Supplementation of diets with 1 weight% of curcumin did not affect the inflammatory responses of anim als to carrageenan injection. However, supplementation of diets with 0 .17 weight% eugenol further lowered inflammation by 16, 32 and 30% in animals fed coconut oil, groundnut oil and cod liver oil, respectively . Therefore, combinations of dietary lipids with spice principles like eugenol can help in lowering inflammation.