EVALUATION OF ANTI-ARTHRITIC POTENTIAL OF ZINGIBER OFFICINALE IN EXPETIMENTAL RATS

Dr. Dev Prakash, Nishant Singh Katiyar*, Amrit Pal Singh and Dr. Anil Kumar Gangwar

ABSTRACT

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease particularly affecting elderly people which leads to massive bone destruction with consequent inflammation, joint pain, and debility. Allopathic medicine can provide only symptomatic relief. However, Zingiber officinale is a rhizome belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, which has traditionally been used for treatment of RA in alternative medicines of many countries. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoid and phlobotannins in both the extracts. LD50 studies for both the extracts upto the maximum of 2000 mg/kg dose level no mortality was observed in the animals that indicate practically nontoxic nature of rhizome. The results of the current investigation concluded, Alcoholic and Aqueous extracts of Zingiber officinale possess a significant anti-arthritic activity against formaldehyde induced arthritis model and justifying its therapeutic role in arthritic condition. The observed antiarthritic activity may be due to the presence of phytoconstituents such as alkaloid and flavonoids.

Keywords: Zingiber officinale, anti-arthritic activity, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), indomethacin.