Background: Inflammation is a major burning problem worldwide and billions of individuals are affected. Some of the spices used daily in Algerian cuisine have been known to possess major anti-inflammatory effects. Turmeric, red pepper, ginger, cinnamon and cumin etc. are a few of the wide spectrum of spices used in Algeria.
The aim of the study was to investigate the antiinflammatory effect and anti actvity of some dietary spices in carrageenan induced models of inflammation on Wistar rats.
Methods: Albino wistar rats were divided into four groups. Inflammation was induced on the animal by injecting the right hand paw with carrageenan (0.1 ml of 1%). Group 1 was fed with food and water and treated with carrageenan (control) whereas group 2 and 3 treated with different doses (100 and 200 mg/kg/bw) of aqueous extract of some dietary spices with carrageenan, respectively. Group 4 treated with standard drug diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg b.w., reference drug for inflammation), once for 24 hrs.
Results: The content of total phenolic was 137.2±21.6 mg/g and flavonoids 122.3±5.8 mg/g. After 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 min, the data indicate that some dietary spices 100 and 200 mg/kg was significantly effective reducing paw edema volumes induced by carrageenan compared to control (p <0.01). The levels of serum pro-inflammatory white blood cells, neutrophile, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophile, total protein and protein c reactive and total cephalin KADIN and platelts in the control group were significantly increased by carrageenan injection compared with the normal group. The rats pretreated with some spices 100 and 200 mg/kg had significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory to compare control group. The paw edema in carrageenan-induced rats was considerably reduced by treating with 100 and 200 mg/kg aqueous extract of some dietary spices when compared to the untreated rats (p<0.001).
Conclusion : The present results clearly demonstarted that carrageenan significantly increased paw edema whereas some dietary treated rats significantly decreased the paw edema. The study underlines the importance of some of the frequently used spices (Turmeric, red pepper, ginger, cinnamon and cumin) in the treatment of inflammation.
Possible Antioxidant and Haematinic Properties of the Stem Bark of Theobroma cacao L. in Wistar Rats
