ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EVALUATION OF LEAF EXTRACT OF MORINGA OLEIFERA

Moringa oleifera Lam. Is a small or medium-sized tree, about 10m high, found wild in the sub-Himalayan tract. The leaves are rich in vitamin A and C and are considered useful in scurvy and catarrhal affections. The leaves are rich in ascorbic acids, amino acids, sterols, isoquercetin glucoside, carotenes, rhamnetin, kaempferol and kaempferitrin. Flowers are traditionally used as tonic, diuretic and abortifacient considered as anthelmintic and also used to cure inflammation, muscle disease, tumors and enlargement of the spleen. All part of this plant is used for the treatment of ascites, rheumatism. Venomous bites and for enhancing cardiac function. In present study, the anti-inflammatory activity was investigated by employing main model Carrageenan induced paw odema (Winter et al., 1962). The results showed a dose dependent decrease in size of odema when observed at 0hr, 1hr, 2hr, 3hr, and 4hr. This effect corresponded with the maximum effect of test dose at 2 hr (Carrageenan-induced paw). The p value<0.0001 was considered to be statistically significant.