Comparing the anti-arthritic activities of the plants<i>Justicia</i><i>gendarussa</i>burm F. and<i>Withania</i><i>somnifera</i>linn

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the anti-arthritic activities of the plants Justicia gendarussa and Withania somnifera. Arthritis is induced in male albino rats using Freund’s complete adjuvant and bovine type II collagen. Leaves of J. gendarussa and roots of W. somnifera were powdered and extracted with ethanol (95%) using the soxhlet method. The effect of these plant extracts on arthritic rats were assessed by various blood parameters and also by taking the change in paw volume. The plants J. gendarussa and W. somnifera suppressed the anti-arthritic changes induced in rats and the results were statistically significant. Key words: Arthritis, collagen, paw volume, plant extract