Anti-inflammatory and In-vivo Antioxidant Activities of Cressa cretica Linn., a Halophytic Plant

The methanolic (Fr-Me) and ethyl acetate fraction (Fr-Et) obtained from the aerial parts of Cressa cretica L. (Convolvulaceae) exhibited inhibitory effect against acute and chronic models of inflammation, namely, carrageenan-induced paw edema, cotton pellet granuloma, carrageenan air pouch inflammation, vascular permeability, freuds complete adjuvant induced arthritis models. The fractions also inhibited arachidonic acid and other mediator (histamine, serotonin, prostaglandin E2)-induced paw edema in rats in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, Fr-Me and Fr-Et significantly increased plasma superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione and glutathione peroxidase activities. On the contrary, the malonaldehyde (as a measure of lipid peroxidation) level was significantly decreased when compared with the control group. Also, it was found that Fr-Et reduced the inflammation and revealed the antioxidant activity more significantly than Fr-Me. Thus study established the anti-inflammatory activity and scavenges the free radicals, which are important mediators that provoke or sustain inflammatory processes.