%0 Journal Article
%T Therapeutic Effect of Ficus lacor Aerial Roots of Various Fractions on Adjuvant-Induced Arthritic Rats
%A Rakesh K. Sindhu
%A Sandeep Arora
%J ISRN Pharmacology
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/634106
%X The present study was carried out to evaluate antiarthritic potential and phytochemical screening of various extracts of Ficus lacor aerial roots. The antiarthritic activity was evaluated by adjuvant-induced arthritis at the dose of 50 and 100£¿mg/kg body weight and the standard drug used was indomethacin. The extracts administered in higher doses reduced the lesions to a greater extent showing a dose-dependent decrease in lesions comparable with standard drug indomethacin. The extracts of FLPE and FLET showed significant increase in body weight as compared to arthritic control group as well as an increase in liver weight, a decrease in liver weight, and an increase in spleen weight in arthritis control. The extracts of FLPE and FLET showed significant decrease in WBC count, increase in hemoglobin contents, and RBC count as compared to control group. FLEA and FLCF were not able to produce a significant effect. There was significant reduction in production of IL-1 and TNF-¦Á level between model group and control group in serum. In conclusion, we demonstrate that, at 100£¿mg/kg body weight, doses of FLPE and PLET extracts were highly effective in preventing and suppressing the development of adjuvant-induced arthritis. 1. Introduction Inflammation is common and essential protective response to the harmful stimuli such as infectious agents, antigen-antibody reactions, thermal, chemical, and physical agents, and ischemia [1]. It is caused by a variety of stimuli including physical damage, ultraviolet irradiation, microbial invasion, and immune reactions. The classical key features of inflammation are redness, warmth, swelling, and pain. Inflammation cascades can lead to the development of diseases such as arthritis, chronic asthma, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis. Many of these diseases are debilitating and are becoming increasingly common in our aging society. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the major inflammatory diseases affecting people worldwide [2]. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that usually affects multiple joints. It affects 0.3%¨C1.0% of the general population and is more prevalent among women in the developed countries. Persistent inflammation leads to joint destruction, but the disease can be controlled with drugs. Osteoarthritis, which is characterized by loss of joint cartilage that leads to pain and loss of function primarily in the knees and hips, affects 9.6% of men and 18% of women aged more than 60 years. Increases in life expectancy and aging populations are expected to make
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.pharmacology/2013/634106/