The Comparison of Preventive Effect of Apium Graveolens Hydroalcoholic and Aqueous Extract on Formalin-Induced Inflammation in Male Rat Hind Paw

Gastrointestinal complications caused by using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) motivated researchers to pay more attention to herbal medicines with anti-inflammatory effect. The aim of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory effect of hydroalcoholic and aqueous extract of Apium graveolens with aspirin in treatment of formalin-induced inflammation in rat hind paw.
Subjects and Male Wistar rats (weighting 150-180 g) were used in this study. To prepare hydroalcoholic extract, ethanol (70%) and maceration method were used and to prepare aqueous extract distilled water and maceration method were used. Animals were divided into 11 groups (6 in each). Negative control group received 5ml/kg normal saline and positive control group received 300 mg/kg aspirin. The test groups received various increasing doses of the hydroalcoholic extract (100, 200, 400, 600 mg/kg) or 100, 200, 400, 600, 800 mg/kg of aqueous extract of Apium graveolens via intraperitoneal route. Thirty minutes later all groups received 100 µl formalin 2.5% subcutaneously at the hind paw. Then, changes in the volume of rat paw were measured hourly for 5 hrs using plethysmometer.
All hydroalcoholic extract treated groups showed significant difference (p The hydroalcoholic extract (400 mg/kg) and aqueous extract (600 mg/kg) of Apium graveolens were as effective as 300 mg/kg aspirin in alleviating edema in rat hind paw.