Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of extract of Vernonia Amygdalina

Objective: To investigate the anti inflammatory activity of the extract of Vernonia amygdalina (V.A). Methods: Inflammatory response was induced by topical application of croton oil dissolved in suitable vehicle on the rat ear. After 6 hrs, cutting out the ear quantitated the response. The cut ear was weighed and the increase in weight relative to control group was evaluated. Results: When co-applied with croton oil to the rat ear extract of V.A. produced a reduction in the inflammatory response when croton oil alone was applied to the rat ear. The extract produced (69.1 +/- 2.0)% reduction of the inflammatory response produced by croton oil alone, lower than the reduction of the inflammatory response produced by acetyl salicylic acid [(71.1 +/- 2.0)%]. Conclusions: This finding suggests that extract of V.A. exhibits anti inflammatory activity and may explain the usefulness of the leaves of this plant in the treatment of inflammatory disease conditions by traditional healers.