evaluation of protective efficacy of avicennia marina (forssk.) leaves against complete freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in wistar rats

aviecennia marina (avicenniaceae) is an endemic plant that widely distributed in the southern parts of iran. this plant has been used as treatment of rheumatism arthritis among the inhabitants of southern parts of iran. the avicennia marina hydroalcoholic extract was prepared and its protective efficacy was investigated using measurement of ankle diameter, total wbc and rbc count, esr, and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in the complete freund's adjuvant (cfa)-induced arthritic rat. the increment in esr and total wbc, reduction in rbc count and hemoglobin levels observed in the arthritic animals were also found to be significantly restored in hea treated rats. a. marina at 400 mg/kg significantly decreases the serum pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as normalizes ankle diameter of cfa rats. a. marina (400 mg/kg) significantly normalizes changes observed in arthritic rats to near normal conditions, indicates that a. marina has promising protective efficacy against arthritic rats.