EVALUTION OF ANTIARTHRITIC ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF PERGULARIA DAEMIA [FORSK] PLANT IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

Objective: Pergularia daemia [Forsk] has been used from the long time in traditional medicine. The main objective of this work is to evaluate anti-rheumatic activity of leaf of Pergularia daemia [Forsk] Methods: Anti- arthritic activity of petroleum ether and methanol extracts of leaf of Pergularia daemia [Forsk] was evaluated by using Freund's complete adjuvant model. Results: Preliminary Phytochemical investigation of Petroleum ether extract of leaf of Pergularia daemia [Forsk] shows presence of steroids, terpenoids, sterols while methanolic extract of leaf of Pergularia daemia [Forsk] shows presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins and phenolic component. The petroleum ether and methanol extract of leaf of Pergularia daemia [300 mg/kg] shows an improvement in arthritis condition by reducing hind paw inflammation. Conclusion: The methanolic extract was found to be more potent than petroleum ether extract. The result indicates that the petroleum ether and methanol extract contain such phytochemical constituents which are responsible for analgesic and anti-rheumatic activity