ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANT-EXTRACTS FROM VENEZUELA

Six medicinal plant extracts from Venezuela, used in traditional medic ine, were investigated for their anti-inflammatory potential against a djuvant-carrageenan-induced inflammation (ACII). All doses expressed h ere are as equivalents of dried starting plant materials (1.50 g dry p lant/kg body wt.). The most interesting plant extracts were Synedrella nodiflora, and the hexane leaf extract of Bursera simaruba. In ACII, orally administered extracts (at doses 40 and 80 mg/kg, respectively), inhibited both the acute and chronic phases of this experimental mode l of inflammation, mainly the chronic phase. These extracts exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity daily throughout the experiment, and were as effective as reference drugs, phenylbutazone (80 mg/kg)and in domethacin (3 mg/kg).