Ethnopharmacology of rhinoceros horn. I: Antipyretic effects of rhinoceros horn and other animal horns.

Intraperitoneal administration of an aqueous extract of rhinoceros horn at 5, 2.5 and 1 g/ml, showed a significant antipyretic effect in rats with hyperthermia induced by subcutaneous injection of terpentine oil. Similar assays with extracts of the horns of saiga antelope, water buffalo and cattle at 5 g/ml also caused a significant drop in fever; however, at 1 g/ml, only saiga antelope horn produced an antipyretic action.