Abstract
Background: Roots of medicinal plants are common ingredients in many folk and herbal medicines system to treat inflammation. The detailed study on C. burhia root was lacking to support their anti-inflammatory potential. Henceforth, present investigation was carried out to establish scientific basis for the traditional uses of Crotalaria buriha root as anti-inflammatory agent.

Aims & Objective: The present study was aimed to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of four fractions of ethanolic extract of Crotalaria burhia Buch.-Ham. root in Wistar albino rats.

Materials and Methods: Anti-inflammatory activity of four fractions of ethanolic extract of Crotalaria burhia root (EtCB) was evaluated by Carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellets induced granuloma in rats. Animals were divided into eight groups (n=6), in which two control groups (25% DMSO and ddH2O), two groups treated with anti-inflammatory drugs (Indomethacin: 10 mg/kg and Diclofenac: 25 mg/kg of body weight) and four fractions treated groups [Hexane (300 mg/kg of bodyweight in 25% DMSO), chloroform (300 mg/kg body weight in 25% DMSO), ethyl acetate (300 mg/kg body weight in 25% DMSO) and aqueous (300 mg/kg of bodyweight in ddH2O)] were treated with oral intubations. Acute anti-inflammatory response was evaluated by measuring paw volume at different time intervals after treatment of test and standard drug. Chronic anti-inflammatory response was evaluated after administration of test and standard treatment for seven consecutive days. On day eighth, four sterile cotton pellets (50 mg) were implanted subcutaneously in the dorsal region of the rats. On the day 16th, the rats were sacrificed and the cotton pellets with granulomatous tissue were taken out, fresh and dry pellets were weighed. Liver tissues was also excised and stored in 0.9% saline at - 20 ◦C for biochemical analysis.

Results: In acute and chronic anti-inflammatory activity hexane (HF), chloroform (CF), ethyl acetate (EAF) and aqueous (AF) of EtCB were shown significant (p<0.05 & p<0.01) anti-inflammatory activity when compared to respective control group. However, AF had shown negligible anti-inflammatory activity. Interestingly, EAF was founded more effective than HF and CF in this paradigm. Acute and chronic anti-inflammatory activity of fractions was comparable with positive standard.

Conclusion: The results of present study revealed promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of EAF. Thus, results indicate that the superiority in anti-inflammatory activity of EAF was largely due to its ability to modulate In vivo antioxidant parameters. The results presented here are the first pharmacological studies of EAF of EtCB as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Key words: Anti-Inflammatory; Antioxidant; Crotalaria burhia; Ethanolic Extract; Lipid Peroxidation