ANTI-ARTHRITIC EFFECT OF POLYHERBAL MIXTURE STUDIED IN ADJUVANT INDUCED ARTHRITIC RATS

The present study was aimed to assess the anti-arthritic activity of Poly herbal mixture in equal proportion against freund’s complete adjuvant induced arthritis (FCA) in rats. The Poly herbal mixture consists of methanolic extract of Coriandrum sativum, Ficus bengalensis and ethanolic extract of Curcuma longa at equal proportion was administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight for 21 days to the experimental animals after the induction of adjuvant arthritis. The anti-arthritic activity of Poly herbal mixture was assessed by paw edema volume and it’s capacity to stabilize lysosomal enzyme activity such as ACP, membrane marker enzyme like ALP. The membrane stabilizing activity of the extract was further evidence by significant (p ≤ 0.01) decrease in the activity of ACP. From phytochemical screening it was found that Poly herbal mixture consists of flavonoid, saponin, steroids and terpenes which might in together are responsible for anti-arthritic properties and joint protection. The possible mechanism of action of Poly herbal mixture may be through it’s stabilizing action on lysosomal membranes and controlling production of auto antigens due to in vivo denaturation of proteins in rheumatic diseases.