The efficacy of aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Pistia stratiotes linn in the management of arthritis and fever

Abstract

Arthritic pain and disability are at or near the top of the list of reasons adult patients seek medical attention. This study therefore attempts to establish the efficacy of an aqueous and ethanolic leaf extract of Pistia stratiotes Linn (Araceae) in a rodent experimental model of arthritis and fever to ascertain its importance in the traditional management of this inflammatory disorder. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. stratiotes at doses of 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg as well as 0.3 mg/kg methotrexate, 0.46 mg/kg diclofenac and 1 mg/kg dexamethasone were administered to formalin- induced arthritic rats. The same doses of the extracts in comparison to 150 mg/kg acetaminophen were also administered to rats in which fever had been induced with lipopolysaccharides. Data ob- tained was analyzed using GraphPad Prism 5.0. The results obtained indicated significant reduc- tion (P ≤ 0.05-0.01) in paw thickness of formalin-induced arthritic animals treated with both aque- ous and ethanolic leaf extracts with effects comparable to that of methotrexate, diclofenac, and dexamethasone. Lipopolysacharride-induced fever in rats was also significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05- 0.01) at all dose levels of aqueous and ethanolic treated animals in a manner similar to that of acet- aminophen. The aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of P. stratiotes have anti-arthritic and antipy- retic effect in formalin-induced arthritis and LPS-induced fever in Sprague-Dawley rats.