Journal of Cell and Tissue Research Vol.

11(2) 2781-2784 (2011)

ISSN: 0974- 0910 (Available online at www.tcrjournals.com)

Original Article

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF CEIBA PENTANDRA L. SEED

EXTRACTS
?

ALAGAWADI, K. R., AND SHAH, A. S.

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KLEUs College of Pharmacy, Belgaum, Karnataka.

E. mail: amol2473@indiatimes.com.
Received: May 13, 2011; Accepted: June 15, 2011
Abstract: Present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of petroleum
ether and ethanolic extract of the seeds of Ceiba pentandra (L). Gaertn. (Bombacaceae) commonly
known as silk cotton tree. The plant has been used as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory,
antipyretic,for rheumatism, diabetes and in headache in Indian system of traditional medicine.
Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by induction of carrageenan in left hind paw. CPE and
CPO at both administered doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg reduced paw edema volume
significantly. These results clearly show anti-inflammatory effect of seed extracts. Further studies
are needed to isolate phytoconstituent(s) responsible for anti-inflammatory effect.
Key words: Ceiba pentandra, Anti-inflammatory effects

INTRODUCTION
India is a rich source of medicinal plants and a number
of plant derived oils and extracts are used against
diseases in various systems of medicine such as
Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. Only a few of them
have been scientifically explored. Plants have been
known to synthesize a variety of chemical substances
such as alkaloids, glycoside, steroids, phenolic
compounds, triterpenoids, tannins, fats and oils. These
secondary metabolites have profound effects on
animals along with therapeutic properties [1].
Inflammation is a pathophysiological response of
living tissue to injuries that leads to the local
accumulation of plasmic fluid and blood cells. The
complex events and mediators involved in the
inflammatory reaction can induce, maintain or
aggravate many diseases. However, studies have
been continuing on inflammatory diseases and the
side effects of currently available anti-inflammatory
drugs pose a major problem during their clinical uses.
Ther efore development of newer and more
substantial anti-inflammatory drugs with lesser side
effects is necessary [2].

Ceiba pentandra L. Gaertn. (Bombacaceae) commonly called silk-cotton, is a tropical tree and the
capsules are known as Kapok. It is widely spread
around the world ranging from tropical America to
Asia through Africa and cultivated in Southeast Asia,
Western South India, Srilanka, other parts of East
Asia and Africa. This plant has been used in traditional
medicine for the treatment of several ailments like
headache, dizziness, diabetes, diuretic, fever, hypertension, constipation, mental troubles, peptic ulcer,
rheumatism and leprosy [3-6].
Reports on plant parts have shown that stem bark
of the plant possesses chronic hypoglycemic activity
[7]; fresh bark has antibacterial and antifungal activity
[8]; dried bark used in chest pains and as diuretic [9]
and leaves extract for treatment of fever [10].
Previous work on C. pentandra described the
isolation of number of sesquiterpenoids
napthoquinones [11]; two new isoflavones, pentandrin
and pentandrin 5-O--D-glucoside [12] and vavain
and its glucoside have been isolated [13]. In the
present study, we examined the anti-inflammatory
activity of C. pentandra seed oil and ethanolic
extract.

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

solvents used are of analytical grades purchased

from local market.

Collection and authentication of plant material:

The C. pentandra seeds were collected from the
campus of Sitabai Thite College of Pharmacy, Shirur,
Dist. Pune. The plant was identified taxonomically
by Prof. T. Chakraborty, Scientist D, Botanical
Survey of India, Pune. A voucher specimen was
deposited in herbarium as AMSCP2.
Preparation of petroleum ether and ethanolic
extracts: The collected seeds were sun dried in open
air for 5 days and reduced to coarse powder (200 g).
The powder was subjected to successive extraction
in soxhlet extractor as per standard American Oil
Chemical Society procedure using petroleum ether
(40-60oC) and ethanol at their boiling points for 24 h
and 48 h respectively. The extracts were filtered and
filtrate was evaporated by distillation under reduced
pressure using rotary vacuum evaporator at 300C and
stored in the dark at 40C. The extraction yielded
24.39% w/w of petroleum ether extract (CPO) and
5.97% w/w of dried ethanolic extract (CPE).
Phytochemical screening: Phytochemical
screening of CPO and CPE was carried out
employing standard procedures and tests [14,15] to
assess the presence of chemical constituents such
as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, steroids, fats and oils, glycosides, proteins etc.
Animals: Female Wistar albino rats (Sri
Venkateshwara Traders, Bangalore) weighing
between 150-200 g were selected for this study.
They were housed in acryl fiber cages at 24 20C,
humidity 50 1.0% and were kept on a 12 h light/
dark cycle. They were fed with standard pellet diet
(Amrut laboratories, Sangli) and water ad libitum
and acclimated for 7 days before experimentation.
Rats were fasted for 12 h before each test. Experimental protocols were approved by the Institutional
Animal Ethical Committee of CPCSEA, Govt. of
India (IAEC-Resolution No.13, 31-7-2010) were
carried out in accordance with local IAEC guidelines.

Drug administration: The reference drug and

extracts used were orally administered with the aid
of stainless metallic feeding canula in equivalent
volume of 0.5 ml/100 g body weight of animal. A 1%
tween 80 was used for preparation of doses of
extracts.
Acute toxicity assay: Acute toxicity assay was
performed as per OECD guidelines 423 (limit test).
Six female Wistar albino rats (three animals in each
step) were randomly selected. The animals were kept
fasting overnight providing only water. Then the
extracts CPO and CPE were administered orally at
one dose level of 2000 mg/kg b.w. In further, rats
were observed continuously for the first 4 h and then
periodically up to 24 h for toxic symptoms and
mortality.
Evaluation of carrageenan induced inflammation: Acute inflammation was produced by injecting
0.1 ml of 1% carrageenan in sterile WFI into sub
plantar region of rat left hind paw [16,17]. The
extracts CPO, CPE (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) were
administered orally 1 h before carrageenan injection.
The control group received equivalent volume of
vehicle. The paw volume was measured at 0, 1, 2, 3,
4 and 5 h, using plethy-smometer. The mean changes
in injected paw edema volume with respect to initial
paw volume, were calculated. Percentage inhibition
of paw edema volume with respect to control group
was calculated using following formula.I = (1- D/ C)
x 1, where I = % inhibition of paw edema, D= mean
change in paw volume of treated rats, C= mean
change in paw volume of control rats.
Statistical analysis: The results were expressed as
mean SEM. Statistical significance was determined
using one way analysis of variance test (ANOVA),
followed by Dunnets t-test, value with p<0.05
considered as statistically significant.
RESULTS

Chemicals and drugs: Pure chemicals carrageenan

and Tween 80 were purchased from Himedia lab.
Mumbai. and Loba Chemie, Mumbai, respectively.
Reference drugs aspirin (Aspin-100, Cipla
pharmaceuticals), Sterile water for injection (Core
Health Care Ltd.) and all other chemicals and

Phytochemical screening; The phytochemical

screening of the CPO showed presence of protein,
fats and oil, steroids and triterpenoids. CPE showed
presence of carbohydrates, proteins, alkaloids, tannins
and phenolic compounds.

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Table 1: Effect of CPO and CPE on inhibition of left hind paw edema on Carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats. Values are
expressed as mean SEM. n=6. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 compared with disease control (ANOVA followed by
Dunnets t-test).Each value in parenthesis indicates the percentage inhibition.
Treatment/
Dose (mg/kg)

0h
Control
0.4330.055
Aspirin- 300 0.4500.042
CPO-200
0.4660.042
CPO-400
0.4660.066
CPE-200
0.4330.084
CPE-400
0.4660.049

Change of paw edema volume in mL

1h
2h
3 h
4h
0.8500.099
1.0630.033
1.170.034
1.240.032
0.7330.091 0.7550.084** (28.78) 0.5710.058*** (51.2) 0.4460.042*** (64.04)
0.8330.133
0.9080.042
0.9350.091
0.8910.084** (28.10)
1.0330.140 0.7880.010* (16.17) 0.7680.020** (34.36) 0.7010.014*** (43.47)
0.8000.152 0.8100.142* (23.8)
0.8530.100* (27.1) 0.8330.095** (23.83)
1.1170.127
0.9150.072
0.9760.128
0.8200.098*** (33.88)

Acute oral toxicity: Acute oral toxicity study was

carried out according to OECD guidelines. The tested
extracts did not exhibit any acute toxicity symptoms
and mortality in all groups when given orally at dose
of 2000 mg/kg bw. Hence, both the extracts were
safe up to dose of 2000 mg/kg bw orally. Two doses
(200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) i.e 1/10th and 1/5th of LD50
were selected for pharmacological studies.
Carrageenan induced inflammation: The antiinflammatory activity of CPO and CPE was
evaluated at the dose of 200 and 400 mg /kg body
weight on carrageenan induced paw edema on
experimental rats (Table 1). There was gradual
increase in edema paw volume in rats in disease
control group showing its maximum value at 4 h. The
result showed significant anti-inflammatory activity
(p<0.001) by treated extracts. CPO at higher and
CPE at lower dose showed significant reduction in
paw edema 2-5 h. Maximum percent inhibition of
paw edema volume in all extracts was found at 5 h.
Amongst tested extracts CPO at higher dose showed
maximum inhibition of paw edema (44.39) whereas
aspirin as reference drug showed inhibition (67.69)
at 5 h.
DISCUSSION
Anti-inflammatory activity of petroleum ether and
ethanolic extract of C. pentandra seeds revealed
its traditional claim. This plant has long been used
for its anti-inflammatory activity but work on seed
extracts lacked a scientific support. The results of
present study reveal the anti-inflammatory activity
of tested extracts in acute phase of inflammation.
Carrageenan induced rat paw edema is a suitable
test for evaluating anti-inflammatory drugs and has
frequently been used to assess the anti-edematus
effects of natural products [18].
Development of edema in the paw of the rat after

5h
1.210.01
0.3910.040*** (67.69)
0.8380.079*** (30.75)
0.6730.015*** (44.39)
0.8030.094*** (33.64)
0.7160.074*** (40.83)

injection of carrageenan is a biphasic event. The initial

phase observed during the first hour is attributed to
release of histamine and serotonin. The second phase
of edema is due to the release of prostaglandins,
protease and lisosome. Based on this, it could be
argued that the suppression of the first phase may
be due to inhibition of the release of early mediators
such as histamine and serotonin, and the action in
second phase may be explained by an inhibition of
cyclo-oxigenase [19]. Our results indicate that CPO
and CPE at (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) and
aspirin play a crucial role as a protective factor
against carrageenan induced acute inflammation.
Thus it can be estimated that the extracts derived
from the seeds of C. pentandra may exerts antiinflammatory effects in dose dependent manner by
inhibiting the synthesis, release or action of
inflammatory mediators viz. histamine, serotonine
and prostaglandin involved in inflammation.
The variation in order of activity for CPO and CPE
indicated that the different constituents present in both
extracts may be responsible for these activities.
Presence of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants
like steroids, tannins, phenolic compounds, triterpenoids, have been previously reported to be responsible
for anti-inflammatory activity [20-22]. The presence
of these constituents in C. pentandra seed extracts
may be responsible for the observed activities.
CONCLUSION
Based on the results of present study, it can be
concluded that the C. pentandra seeds have antiinflammatory activity in studied animal model. Hence,
our research supports traditional use of C. pentandra
on a scientific basis. Further investigation is advocated especially for establishing structural components
of the responsible phytoconstituents.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors are grateful to Prof. C.K. Kokate, ViceChancellor, KLE University, Belgaum, Karnataka,
India. and Prof. A.D. Taranalli, Principal, KLEUs
College of Pharmacy, Belgaum, Karnataka for
providing necessary facilities to carryout the research.
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