ANTI-ARTHRITIC ACTIVITY OF PORTULACA OLARACEA L. SATIVA ON ANIMAL MODELS

The present study was designed to investigate anti-arthritic activity of Portulaca olaracea
l. sativa leaves in rats. Arthritis was induced in rats in all groups of animals by injecting
0.05 ml of 0.5(w/v) suspension of killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis in paraffin oil into
the left hind limb. Preliminary extraction was subjected to acute oral toxicity study
according to the OECD guidelines no 423. Based on that, two dose levels i.e. 200 and
300mg/kg were selected for further study. Oral administration of the extract showed the
significant results in Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritis in rats. The biochemical study of
EEPO (200mg/kg & 300mg/kg) showed the increase WBC count was significantly
suppressed and standard diclofenac sodium (P<0.01).The increased lymphocyte count in
adjuvant control group was significantly restored back to normal by test and standard drug
(P<0.01).There is a decreased protein content in standard and extract drug treatment group
as compared to adjuvant control group.