Anti-inflammatory activity of 'TAF' an active fraction from the plant Barleria prionitis Linn.

'TAF' fraction from the methanol-water extract of Barleria prionitis Linn. was evaluated for anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities against different acute and chronic animal test models. It exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity against different inflammagens like carrageenan, histamine and dextran. The anti-inflammatory activity in adrenalectomised rats was maintained showing that the effect of fraction 'TAF' is not activated by the pituitary-adrenal axis. Significant anti-arthritic activity was observed in adjuvant-induced polyarthritis test in rats. 'TAF' also showed inhibition of vascular permeability and leucocytes migration in vivo into the site of inflammatory insult. Ibuprofen (Cadilla India Ltd., Mumbai) was used as a standard reference drug. The oral (p.o.) LD50 was more than 3000 mg/kg, with no signs of abnormalities or any mortality observed for 15 days after single-dose drug administration. The intraperitoneal (i.p.) LD50 was found to be 2530 mg/kg (+/-87 mg/kg S.E.) [Proceedings of Society of Experimental Biological Medicine 57 (1944) 261] (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.