ABSTRACT:
Acorus calamus Linn, (family: Acoraceae) is used in traditional medicine to treat mental fatigue, memory loss, anxiety, bronchitis, sinusitis, headache, flatulence, joint pains febrifuge, hallucinogen, hypotension. It is also used internally in the treatment of digestive complaints, bronchitis, sinusitis diseases in humans. The anti-inflammatory activity of the 80% ethanolic extract of the leaves was investigated with experimental animal models using the carrageenan-induced paw oedema and cotton pellet granuloma tests in rats. The extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) at 240 min post-treatment caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction in the paw oedema in rats. The effect of the extract was most pronounced at the dose of 200 mg/kg and was closer to that of indomethacin (10 mg/kg). The exudate formation inhibited by 200 mg/kg of the extract in the cotton pellet granuloma test was comparatively significant. The findings of the study indicate that the 80% ethanolic extract of Acorus calamus leaves possesses anti-inflammatory activity which is probably related to the significant reduction of various biochemicals, viz. histamine, 5-HT, various kinins which are involved in early phases of inflammation. This is a possible rationale for its folkloric use as an anti-inflammatory agent.