STUDIES ON THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANALGESIC AND ANTIPYREXIC ACTIVITIES OF BETULINIC ACID DERIVED FROM TETRACERA POTATORIA

Authors

  • Bukola Olanike Oyebanji Department of Animal Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife
  • Adebowale Bernard Saba Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry & Pharmacology, University of Ibadan
  • Olayinka Ayotunde Oridupa Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry & Pharmacology, University of Ibadan

Keywords:

Anti-inflammatory, analgesia, antipyrexia, betulinic acid, Tetracera potatoria

Abstract

Background: The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activity of betulinic acid (BA) was investigated in this study. The triterpene was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Tetracera potatoria and its structure was verified by IR and NMR spectroscopy. The bioactivity of this compound was assessed using carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats and carrageenan-induced pulmonary oedema in mice for the anti-inflammatory activity, while acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice and zymosan-induced fever in rats were used for analgesic test. Materials and Methods: Rats and mice were randomly divided into groups of five animals. For each experiment, betulinic acid at 10, 20 or 40mg/kg b.w was administered intraperitoneally to the first three groups respectively. The fourth group was administered with indomethacin (10mg/kg) or acetylsalicylic acid (150mg/kg), while the fifth group was administered with distilled water (10ml/kg). Data obtained were expressed as mean±S.E.M and significant differences were determined at p<0.05. Results: BA significantly reduced carrageenan-induced paw oedema by 11.0%, 45.7%, 68.6% or pulmonary oedema by 25.6, 29.2 and 45.13% dose dependently. 40 mg/kg of BA inhibited paw oedema by 68.6% comparably to acetylsalicylic acid (71.4%) or indomethacin (51.33%) respectively. Abdominal writhing was also significantly (p<0.05) reduced to 17.20 writhes by BA (40mg/kg) comparable to Indomethacin (16.3writhes). Fever was inhibited by BA most significantly by 3hours post-injection of zymosan (1.00, 1.45, 0.000C) and this inhibitory effect was higher than that observed for acetylsalicylic acid (0.300C). Conclusion: Betulinic acid derived from Tetracera potatoria exhibited potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic or antipyrexic activity which is comparable to indomethacin or acetylsalicyclic acid.

Author Biographies

Bukola Olanike Oyebanji, Department of Animal Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

Animal Science. Senior Lecturer

Adebowale Bernard Saba, Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry & Pharmacology, University of Ibadan

Veterinary Pharmacology. Senior Lecturer

Olayinka Ayotunde Oridupa, Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry & Pharmacology, University of Ibadan

Veterinary Pharmacology. Lecturer I

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Published

2013-10-25

How to Cite

Oyebanji, B. O., Saba, A. B., & Oridupa, O. A. (2013). STUDIES ON THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANALGESIC AND ANTIPYREXIC ACTIVITIES OF BETULINIC ACID DERIVED FROM TETRACERA POTATORIA. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 11(1), 30–33. Retrieved from https://athmsi.org/journals/index.php/ajtcam/article/view/1757

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Short communications