Evaluation of antiarthritic activity on Luffa echinata Roxb. fruits on rats

Luffa Echinata Roxb. fruits popularly known, as ‘Bindal’ in Hindi is a slender herb belonging to the Cucurbitaceae which grows widely in India. In traditional system of medicine, Luffa echinata Roxb. fruits were used for various ailments including inflammation, diabetes etc. To investigate the folkloric use of the fruits the present study was carried out on Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritic rats. The present study states the effect of the aqueous extract (LEFAE) and the alcoholic extract (LEFEE) of Luffa echinata Roxb. fruits on the Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA) induced arthritic rat paw edema, body weight changes and alterations in haematological and biochemical parameters in both developing and developed phases of arthritis. Histopathology of proximal interphalangeal joints and radiology of hind legs were studied. In FCA induced arthritic rats, there was significant increase in rat paw volume and decrease in body weight increment, whereas LEFEE and LEFAE treated groups, showed significant reduction in paw volume and normal gain in body weight. The altered haematological parameters (Hb, RBC, WBC and ESR) in the arthritic rats were significantly brought back to near normal by the LEFEE and LEFAE treatment at the dose of 250 mg/kg/p.o in both developing and developed phases of arthritis. Further the histopathological and radiological studies revealed the antiarthritic activity of LEFEE and LEFAE by indicating fewer abnormalities in these groups when compared to the arthritic control group. The results of the current investigation concluded, ethanol extract of Luffa echinata Roxb. Fruits, extract possess a significant anti-arthritic activity against adjuvant induced arthritis and justifying its therapeutic role in arthritic condition. The observed antiarthritic activity may be due to the presence of phytoconstituents such as irridiod glycosides, alkaloids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids.