ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF THE BARK OF HIPPOCRATEA-EXCELSA

The ethanol extract of the plant Hippocratea excelsa was examined for its anti-inflammatory effects using several animal models. It produced significant inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw edema and reduced t he weight of cotton pellet-induced granuloma at doses of 25-100 mg/kg. The extract was found to exert a protective effect on heat-induced er ythrocyte lysis at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 mu g/ml. In chroni c models of formaldehyde and adjuvant arthritis, its anti-arthritic ac tivity was found to be less than that of phenylbutazone (PNB). It may be inferred that the ethanol extract is effective against both exudati ve-proliferative and chronic phases of inflammation.