Selected Indian Medicinal Plants Exhibit Anti-Inflammatory Activity by Modulating Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines In Vitro and in Carrageenan-Induced Rat Paw Edema.

Inflammation is a vital immune response to injury, infection, or harmful stimuli, and prolonged inflammation leads to various disorders. Traditional medicinal systems such as Ayurveda offer a rich repository of plant-based remedies for inflammatory conditions. In this study, 18 medicinal plants were screened for anti-inflammatory potential using in vitro and in vivo assays. Methanolic extracts and solvent-partitioned fractions were evaluated for cytotoxicity, nitric oxide (NO) inhibition, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α]), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and COX-2 inhibition in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Six promising extracts/fractions were further tested in vivo using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model. Extracts of Adenanthera microsperma, Physalis minima, Rhododendron arboreum, Schleichera oleosa, and Volkameria inermis exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in rat paw edema as compared to indomethacin. Marker compounds, quercitrin (1.06% w/w), physalin H (0.101% w/w), hyperoside (0.36% w/w), betulinic acid (0.60% w/w), and acacetin (0.58% w/w), were isolated using column chromatography and confirmed in the respective bioactive extracts/fractions by analytical HPLC using a spiking method. These phytoconstituents have been reported to modulate inflammatory pathways, including NF-κB and MAPK signaling. The study provides experimental validation of traditional claims and highlights these plants as promising candidates for the development of anti-inflammatory therapeutics.