IN VITRO ANTIRHEUMATOID ARTHRITIC ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS ROOT EXTRACT OF CLITORIA TERNATEA

Abstract

In ethano medicine, roots of Clitoria ternatea (Family: Fabaceae) is claimed to possess antirheumatoid arthritic activity. However, this claim has not been scientifically tested and validated yet. This study assessed the antirheumatoid arthritic potential of an aqueous root extract (ARE) of Clitoria ternatea (Family: Fabaceae) using a well recognised in vitro bioassay model: inhibition of heat induced denaturation of albumin protein, which is claimed to act as an index of anti arthritic activity. Five concentrations of ARE (31.25, 62.50, 125, 250 and 500 µg/ml) and six concentrations of reference drug, Diclofenac sodium (78, 125, 156.25, 312.50, 625, 1250 and 2500 µg/ml), were used in the testing. The results showed, for the first time, that ARE of Clitoria ternatea markedly (IC50

= 184.32 ± 1.5 µg/ml) inhibited the heat induced denaturation of albumin protein in a concentration dependent manner (r² = 0.99). This effect was comparable to the reference drug (IC50 = 252.46 ± 0.18 µg/ml). It is concluded that ARE of Clitoria ternatea possesses anti rheumatic arthritic activity and provide scientific justification for its use in ethanomedicine.