Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of Trigonella foenum-graecum leaves extract in the rat

Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of the Trigonella foenum-graecum (TFG) leaves extract, an Iranian medicinal plant, were examined. For anti-i nflammatory activity, the formalin-induced edema model was used. Hypertherm ia was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 20% (w/v) aqueous suspension of brewer's yeast. Sodium salicylate (SS) was used as a positive control. Both TFG and SS significantly reduced formalin-induced edema in single dose (TFG 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, SS 300 mg/kg) and chronic administration (TFG 10 00 mg/kg and SS 300 mg/kg). TFG and SS also significantly reduced hyperther mia induced by brewer's yeast in 1 and 2 h after their administration. The results indicate that the TFG leaves extract possess anti-inflammatory as w ell as antipyretic properties in both i.p. and p.o. administration. Phytoch emical studies indicate that alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, and phenols are the major component in the extract. Although existence of three anti-infla mmatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects in this extract suggest a NSAID- like mechanism for it, but the presence of alkaloids, the absence of other effective compounds such as flavonoids. saponins, steroids, etc., and also its analgesic effect on tail-flick test that usually is not produced by NSA IDs, suggest another mechanism for the extract. So the possibility of alkal oids as effective compounds, in this extract, increases. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.