To investigate the effect of the leaf extract of Brachystegia eurycoma Harms (Leguminosae) in acute and chronic Inflammatory animal models.

Extraction and anti-inflammatory evaluation.

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin.

The anti-inflammatory effect of the aqueous leaf extract of B. eurycoma Harm (Leguminosae) was evaluated using the carrageenan- and dextran-induced rat paw edema, xylene-induced ear edema and formalin-induced arthritis inflammation test.

In the carrageenan-induced paw edema, B. eurycoma at 100 mg/kg significantly (P<0.001) inhibited paw edema within four hours (1–4 h) The extract also produced significant inhibitory effects (P<0.05) at 200 mg/kg (1h and 4 h) and 400 mg/kg (2 h). B. eurycoma (100 mg/kg) produced a significant (P<0.01) inhibition of paw edema induced by dextran from 0 h and 4th h and at the 5th h (P<0.05) The extract (100 mg/kg) produced a significant inhibition (41.84 %, p<0.05) in the xylene induced ear edema model but in chronic inflammation (formalin induced arthritis) did not show any significant anti-inflammatory activity after seven (7) days. Oral acute toxicity assays did not show any mortality at 8 g/kg of the plant extract.

These results suggest that the aqueous leaf extract of B. eurycoma possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity on acute inflammation but no effect on chronic inflammation, thus supporting the usage of the plant in traditional medicine treatment of inflammation.