DOI: 10.21276/sajp

Pages: 368-371

Medicinal plants and their products play a vital role in human health for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. The validity of claims of many of these preparations has been substantiated by modern scientific methods and techniques. This present study was aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of Impatiens balsamina roots and stems. Ethanol and water extracts of I. balsamina roots and stems were separately prepared by cold maceration method. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan induced paw edema method in wistar albino rats. Extracts at a dose of 50mg/kg was orally administered to the experimental rats 30mint prior to administration of carrageenan (0.1ml of 0.1%w/v). The paw volume was measured using digital plethysmometer at specific intervals. All three extracts exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity. Ethanol extract of I. balsamina roots and ethanol extract of I. balsamina stems showed high significant (p<0.001) anti-inflammatory activity followed by water extract of I. balsamina stems at the 2nd hour. Ethanol extract of I. balsamina roots exhibited high spectrum of anti-inflammatory activity than ethanol extract of I. balsamina stems. The anti-inflammatory action of I. balsamina may be due to the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and tannins in the extracts. The findings suggest that the extract of I. balsamina roots and stems explore anti-inflammatory activity and leads the further development of novel natural anti-inflammatory agent.