Title: A Chemo-Pharmacological Study of Hypericum Perforatum L. Anti-Inflammatory action on Albino Rats.

Objective: To study the anti- inflammatory activity and chemical characterization of Hypericum perforatum Linn.

Materials & Methods: The powdered plant (20g) was macerated with 72% alcohol (200ml) for 24 hours. The resulting extract was used for Pharmacological evaluation of anti –inflammatory activity and chromatographic analysis on silica gel ‘G’ plates(200µ thick) using n–propanol/ethyl acetate/ water (4:3:3 v/v) as the mobile phase. Arthritis was produced in adult albino rats weighing 120± 10 g through intramuscular injection of 0.5ml of 25 w/w formalin beneath the plantar aponeurosis on the first and third day.

Results: The initial diameter of the ankle area was found to be 4.52mm ± 0.02 in GP. I, 4.24 mm ± 0.03 in GP. II and 4.65 mm ±0.04 in GP III and 4.26 ± 0.02 in group IV. Intramuscular administration of test drug/Vehicle daily for 7 days resulted in a steady increase in anti inflammatory activity i.e. 48% in Group 3, the corresponding figures for Groups 2 and 4 being 41 and 32 respectively.

Conclusion: Arthritis was produce in adult albino rats weighing 120± 10 g through intramuscular injections of 0.5ml of 2% w/w formation beneath the plantar aponeurosis on the first and third day. it was evident that relatively low doses, 0.25 ml 100 g body weight, of tincture of Hypericum perforatum produced a significance 48% anti-inflammatory effect, whereas higher doses 0.5ml/100 g body weight, of the drugs showed 32% activity under identical conditions. Parallel studies with 1 mg/100 g body weight hydrocortisone administration gave similar anti-inflammatory effects. Chemically, the alcoholic tincture of the plant showed three spots on TLC using silica gel ‘G’ at Rf 0.46 (orange), 0.71 (Red) and 0.87 (Red) in n-propanol/ethyl acetate/water (4:3:3 v/v). The anterior-posterior diameter of the ankle was recorded and statistically analysed. It was evident that relatively low doses, 0.25ml/100 g body weight, of tincture of Hypericum perforatum produced a significant 48% anti–inflammatory effects, whereas higher doses, 0.5ml/ 100 g body weight, of the drug showed 32 % activity under identical conditions.

Published in: The British Homoeopathic journal. January 1988, Vol.77. pp.27-29