Assessing the potential of water spinach leaves (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk., Family: Convolvulaceae) extract used as anti-inflammatory agent

For a long time, plants and plant derivatives have been used as a source of medicine. Nature's gift to humans is medicinal plants, which enable them to live a disease-free and healthy life. They are essential in maintaining our health. In extreme necessity such as physical illness brought by a hostile environment, the primitive man was forced to make a frantic search for a remedy. Inflammation is a defense mechanism in the body. It is part of the body's immune response. The immune system recognizes damaged cells, irritants, and pathogens, and it begins the healing process. When something harmful or irritating affects a part of our body, there is a biological response to try to remove it. In the present study using different concentrations of Ipomoea aquatica from 100 mg/dose, 200 mg/dose, and 400 mg/dose along with different extracts such as ethanol extract, petroleum ether extract, chloroform extract used in the treatment for anti-inflammatory activity along with distilled water for negative control and naproxen for positive control in the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. The investigation showed that the ethyl acetate extract with the concentration of 200 mg/dose and 400 mg/dose showed the closest effect compared to the standard (naproxen) while the other groups showed a mild inhibition of the inflammation in carrageenan-induced paw edema. Also, the significant of the ethyl acetate extract may be attributed to their high content of flavonoids.