Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research

Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2011

ISSN - 0974-2441

ResearchArticle

ANTIINFLAMMATORYEFFICACYOFCURCUMAZEDOARIAROSCROOTEXTRACTS

MADANL.KAUSHIK*,SUNILS.JALALPURE
FacultyofPharmacy,K.L.E.University,J.N.MedicalCollegeCampus,Belgaum10Karnataka,India
Email:kaushikmadan2011@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Antiinflammatory activity of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc was studied in albino rats by using Carrageenan and Histamine induced hind paw edema
method. The paw edema was induced by the subplantar injection of above inflammagens, and oedema volume was recorded using a
plethysmometer. Curcuma zedoaria Rosc are traditionally used in treatment of inflammation. Petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol root
extractsofC.zedoariawereadministeredorallyhalfhourbeforeinducinginflammation.Allextractsshowedsignificantp<0.001antiinflammatory
activity except methanol extract, when compared to control with standard drugs (Indomethacin 10 mg/kg.i.p and Rumalaya forte 200 mg/kg).
Amongsttheseextractspetroleumether200andchloroform400mg/kgextractsofCurcumazedoariashowedmaximumantiinflammatoryactivity
on2ndto6thhours.
Keywords:CurcumazedoariaRosc,Carrageenan,Histamine,Antiinflammatory.

INTRODUCTION

Experimentalanimals:

Curcuma zedoaria Rosc, also known as white turmeric, zedoaria or

gajutsu1 is a perennial rhizomatous herb that belongs to the
Zingiberaceae family. The plant is indigenous to Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka and India. In India it is known by its several vernacular
names, the most commonly used ones being: Dravia (Sanskrit),
Kacura(Hindi)andKachora(Kannada).2

Healthyalbinoratsofeithersex(Wistarstrain)weighing150160g
were used for present study. The animals had free access to food
and water and were maintained under controlled temperature
(2720C)and12h:12hlightanddarkcycle.Initialbodyweightof
eachanimalwasrecorded.

It is used traditionally for the treatment of menstrual disorders,

dyspepsia, vomiting3andfor cancer.4 Ruralpeople use therhizome
foritsrubefacient,carminative,expectorant,demulcent,diureticand
stimulant properties while the root is used in the treatment of
flatulence,dyspepsia,cold,coughandfever.1
Curcuma zedoaria is a reach source of essential oils, starch,
curcumin arabin and gums etc. The enzyme, phospholipase A2,
is known to be responsible for the formation of mediators of
inflammation such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes which by
attracting polymorphonuclear leucocytes to the site of
inflammation would lead to tissue damage probably by the
release of free radicals. Phospholipase A2 converts
phospholipidsinthecellmembraneintoarachidonic acid,which
is highly reactive and is rapidly metabolized by cycloxygenase
(prostaglandin synthase) to prostaglandins, which are major
componentsthatinducepainandinflammation. 5,6

The early phase of acute inflammation involves cellular influx

associated with the release of mediators like histamine and
prostaglandins (PGEs). 7 All these mediators produce
inflammationwheninjectedsubcutaneouslyintheratpaw. 8 The
present study is therefore an attempt to assess the efficacy of
different extracts of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc root extracts on
antiinflammatory activity induced by carrageenan and
histamineinratpawoedemamodel.
MATERIALSANDMETHODS:
Plantmaterial:
The matured roots of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc were collected from
Odakali, near to Cochin, Kerala. The plant materials were
authenticated from National Botanical Research Institute Lucknow
(NBRI). All the roots were Shade dried at room temperature until
theywerefreefrommoisturepulverizedinelectricgrinder.
The powder was obtained and extracted separately by continuous
hot extraction process using soxhlet extractor with different
solvents in increasing order of polarity from petroleum ether,
chloroform, and methanol.9 The extracts were concentrated under
reducedpressureanddried.

Acutetoxicitystudies:10
The roots of each extracts of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc, at different
doses (175, 550. 1500, 2000 and 5000 mg/kg) were administered
orally to normal rats. During the first four hours after the drug
administration, the animals were observed for gross behavioral
changes.
The parameters such as hyperactivity, grooming, convulsions,
sedation,hypothermia,bodyweightandmortalitywereobservedup
to14days.Nomortalityobservedwithoraladministrationofallthe
extractsevenatthehighestdose(5000mg/kg).InstitutionalAnimal
Ethical Committee (IAEC) had approved the experimental protocol
and care of animals was taken as per the guidelines of CPCSEA,
Departmentofanimalwelfare,GovernmentofIndia.
TestforAntiinflammatoryActivity:
These extracts were tested for antiinflammatory activity by
carrageenan11andhistamine12(inflamagens)inducedratpawedema
method.
Different groups of animals were taken for experiment is as
follows:group
GroupI:Control:Inflamagens+NormalSaline(p.o)
Standardgroup:
GroupII (SDI): Standard: Inflamagens +10 mg/kg Indomethacin
(i.p)
GroupIII(SDII):Inflamagens+Rumalayaforte200mg/kg(p.o)
Testgroups:
GroupIV (PEE): Inflamagens+Petroleum ether extract 200 mg/kg
(p.o)
GroupV (PEE): Inflamagens+Petroleum ether extract 400 mg/kg
(p.o)
GroupVI(CE):Inflamagens+Chloroformextract200mg/kg(p.o)
GroupVII(CE):Inflamagens+Chloroformextract400mg/kg(p.o)
GroupVIII(ME):Inflamagens+Methanolextract200mg/kg(p.o)
GroupIX: (ME): Inflamagens+Methanol extract 400 mg/kg (p.o)

Kaushiketal.
AsianJPharmClinRes,Vol4,Issue3,2011,9092

TableI:EffectofC.zedoariaRoscrootextractsoncarrageenaninducedpawedemainrats

Treatment
Groups(n=6)

Dose
mg/kg

Control

saline

SDI

Pawedema(ml)
1sthour

2ndhours

0.5500.050

10

0.2500.022

SDII

200

0.2670.021

PEE

200

0.2500.022

PEE
CE

400
200

0.3500.034b
0.3330.022b

3rdhours

4thhours

5thhours

6thhours

0.8830.130

0.9670.966

0.9000.063

0.8170.060

0.3160.030

0.3670.033

0.3670.042

0.3000.025

0.2830.030a

0.2830.030

0.3660.021

0.3830.016

0.3670.028

0.3330.033a

0.3830.031

0.4170.031

0.3670.033

0.3500.023

0.3170.031a

0.3830.031a
0.3670.022a

0.4500.034a
0.4330.033a

0.4170.031a
0.46770.033a

0.3500.022a
0.3830.031a

0.3170.017a
0.3500.024a

a
a

a
a

a
a

0.7160.030

a
a

CE

400

0.3170.030b

0.3660.033a

0.4500.042a

0.4170.047a

0.3830.040a

0.3500.022a

ME

200

0.4330.021

0.7000.044

0.8830.147

0.8160.030

0.7830.166

0.6000.044

ME

400

0.4830.047

0.8000.089

0.8830.016

0.8500.056

0.6670.056

0.6170.083

N=6,ValuesareMeanS.E.M.ap<0.001,bp<0.01,cp<0.05(significant)statisticalanalysiswasdonebyonewayanalysisofvariation(ANOVA)
followedbyDunnetstest.

TableII:EffectofC.zedoariaRoscrootextractsonhistamineinducedpawedemainrats
Treatment
Groups(n=6)

Dose
mg/kg

1sthour

2ndhours

Control
SDI.

saline
10

0.5670.056
0.4160.016c

0.8000.052
0.5500.341b

1.2120.307
0.68330.047a

1.0830.040
0.7000.036a

0.9670.056
0.6830.065b

0.9000.577
0.6670.066c

SDII

200

PEE

200

0.3670.044c
0.4170.031

0.4160.030a
0.5170.032a

0.5830.054a
0.5670.043a

0.6170.030a
0.5670.042a

0.4250.047a
0.4830.047a

0.5830.030a
0.4830.048a

PEE

400

0.3670.033c

0.4670.042a

0.5830.048a

0.6170.040a

0.5830.05a

0.5170.031a

CE

200

0.4830.040a
0.5330.056a

0.5660.033a
0.6500.068a

0.6160.040a
0.6670.056a

0.5160.047a
0.5670.033a

0.4330.021a
0.5000.063a
0.7500.042

3rdhours

4thhours

5thhours

6thhours

CE

400

0.3830.030
0.4170.054a

ME

200

0.5170.031

0.7830.047

1.0170.047b

0.9830.075

0.8000.073

ME

400

0.5000.036

0.7330.042

0.9830.054b

1.0330.080

0.9000.036

0.8000.077

N=6,ValuesareMeanS.E.M.ap<0.001,bp<0.01,cp<0.05(significant)statisticalanalysiswasdonebyonewayanalysisofvariation
(ANOVA)followedbyDunnetstest.

Fig.1:RootextractsofC.zedoariaRoscpercentageinhibitionagainstcarrageenanandhistamineinducedpawedema
Percentage inhibitions were culculated. C C1/C X 100. C= Control group and C1= drug treated groups

91

Kaushiketal.
AsianJPharmClinRes,Vol4,Issue3,2011,9092
Beforetheexperiment,foodwaswithdrawnovernightbutadequate
water was given to the rats. Dose selected were 200 mg and 400
mg/kgforeach extract.Theanimalsweredividedintoninegroups
of6animalseach.Allthedosesweregivenorallyhalfanhourbefore
theadministrationofcarrageenan(Sigmachemicalco,St.LouisMO,
USA) and histamine into the plantar side of the left hind paw. The
paw was marked with ink at the level of lateral malleolus and
immersedinmercuryuptothemarkintheplethysmometer. 13
Thepawvolumewasmeasuredafter(1h)injectioncarrageenanand
then every hour till 6 h of each group. The difference between the
initial and subsequent reading gave the actual edema volume. The
average paw swellingiscalculatedby comparing thenormal group
with control, Standards and all treated groups compared with the
control,Percent inhibition ofinflammationwascalculated by using
theformula,

or more after carrageenan injection, suggesting that curcumin

produces an antiedematous effect during the second phase,
similarly to indomethacin. Therefore, our results confirm that the
mechanism of the antiinflammatory effect of curcumin involves
reduction of prostaglandins through inhibition of cyclooxygenase.
TheantiedematouseffectofmethanolextractofC.zedoariashowed
a delayed onset (6 h), In addition, the efficacy of petroleum ether
and chloroform extract of C. zedoaria was comparable to that of
Indomethacin and Rhumalya fort with a longer duration of action
showedsignificant reductioninpawedemavolume incarrageenan
andhistamineinducedinflammation.

WhereVcrepresentsedemaincontrol.

Thusitcanbeconcludedthatpetroleumetherandchloroformroot
extracts of plant C. zedoaria possess significant anti inflammatory
activity in rats. Further studies involving the isolation and
purification of the chemical constituents of the plant and the
investigations in the biochemical pathways may result in the
developmentofapotentantiinflammatoryagentwithalowtoxicity
andbettertherapeuticindex.

Vtistheedemaingrouptreatedwithextracts.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

HistamineInducedEdema:

AuthorsaregratefultoDr.F.V.Manvi,DeanofFacultyofPharmacy,
K.L.E.UniversityBelgaum,Karnatakaforprovidingallthefacilities
tocarryoutthiswork.

%inhibition=100(Vt/Vcx100)1416.

For the study of Histamine induced paw edema in the animals

were treated exactly the same method as carrageenan induced
modelbutinsteadofcarrageenan,here0.1mlof1%w/whistamine
innormalsalinewasused.

REFERENCES
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RESULTS
Acutetoxicity

2.

Theacutetoxicitystudyrevealednontoxicnatureofalltheextracts
atahigherdoseof5g/kgbodyweight.

3.

Antiinflammatoryactivity
TheeffectofpetroleumetherandchloroformextractsofC.zedoaria
RosconcarrageenaninducededemainalbinoratisshowninTable
1. The results obtained indicate that both above extract had
significantantiinflammatoryactivityinalbinorats,whencompared
with reference standards (p< 0.001). The potency was found to be
inversely proportional to the time taken for reduction in the paw
volume. The petroleum ether extract of C. zedoaria Rosc reduced
edema56.70%neartostandardgroupIIinducedbycarrageenanon
oral administration 200 mg/kg, when compared with untreated
control group. Petroleum ether 400 and chloroform extracts 200,
400mg/kgshows52.18,50.90and51.99%standardgroupsIandII
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Standard groupI and II inhibits paw edema 34.13 and 44.86%
respectively.Methanolgroupsshowednonsignificantresults.

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DISCUSSION

12.

Due to the increasing frequency of intake of NSAIDs and their

reportedcommonsideeffects,thereisneedtofocusonthescientific
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inflammation. Carrageenan induced inflammation is a biphasic
phenomenon.15 The first phase of edema is attributed to release of
histamineand5hydroxytryptamine.Plateauphaseismaintainedby
kinin like substances and second accelerating phase of swelling is
attributedtoprostaglandinlikesubstances.

13.

Theknowledgeofthesemediatorsinvolvedindifferentphasesisan
important for interpreting mode of drug action, in this study the
petroleum ether and chloroform extract of C. zedoaria Rosc, (200
and 400mg/kg)showedsignificantreduction ofpawedemaat2h

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