The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas leaves were investigated. Anti-inflammatory effect was studied using acute rat model (carrageenan -induced rat paw oedema) in which aspirin at 150 mg·kg -1 , indomethacin at 10 mg·kg -1 (both are standard anti-inflammatory drugs) and aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas leaves at 150 mg·kg -1 were administered orally to 24 Wistar rats 1 h before induction of oedema and compared with a negative control given 10 ml·kg -1 saline. Using the same dose of the plant extract, the analgesic effect of the aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas leaves was also investigated by measuring the number of acetic acid-induced writhing in 18 mice. The mean percentage inhibition of paw volume of rats treated with indomethacin was 83.9% followed by aspirin treated group with 64.3%, and the Jatropha curcas treated group with 60.7%. The mean number of writhing was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in mice given aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas leaves (34.0) compared to the control group (55.8) but higher than that of the standard analgesic, paracetamol (23.5). This result suggests that Jatropha curcas has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties comparable with those of standard drugs and may be useful for the treatment of painful inflammatory conditions.

The herbaceous plant Nelsonia canescens is a medicinal plant used in Asian and African traditional medicine for various diseases of humans and animals. The plant has been used for the treatment of pains and inflammatory action related diseases, cancer, gout, cough, fever, cardiovascular diseases, chicken pox and even malaria. Decoction of it has also been used as immune booster in patients by the traditionalists. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of the aqueous leaf extract of the plant on the osmotic fragility of rats’ red blood cells, and also to determine the changes that occur in haematology and serum chemistry of the rats exposed orally to the extract for 28 days. Three groups of rats were administered orally with 200, 400, and 800mg/kg of the plant extract respectively while the fourth group which is the control was administered also orally with distilled water and their blood were then analyzed. The 2, 4 and 6mg/ml concentrations of the extract inhibit hypotonic solution induced rats erythrocytes hemolysis in concentration dependent manner and the inhibition is comparable to that of Indomethacin. The blood analysis showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in total white blood cells and the lymphocytes for the groups administered with 400 and 800 mg/kg of the extract while the neutrophils decreased significantly. It was then concluded that the aqueous extract of the plant inhibits red blood cell hemolysis and hence its anti-inflammatory activities. Also, the significant increase in the total white blood cells and the lymphocytes could be the reason why the plant is useful as immune booster by the traditionalists.

Byrsocarpus coccineus is an indigenous herb widely dispersed in tropical Africa and commonly known as Crimson thyme. The leaf and root of the plant is noted to possess medicinal benefits in traditional medicine of the Western part of Nigeria. The plant has been reported to possess analgesic, antiplasmodial, inflammatory, antidiarrhic and antipyretic activities. The present study was therefore aimed at determining the sub-acute toxicity of ethanolic leaf extract of Byrsocarpus coccineus. The ethanolic leaf extract of the plant was administered orally at 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg to three groups A, B and C of Wistar rats respectively for 14 days while the control group D was administered orally with 3ml/kg of distilled water. Blood samples were then obtained from the anaesthetized rats for haematology and serum biochemistry. The result obtained from serum analyses showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in the levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels while the increase in alkaline phosphatase is not significant for the treated groups B and C compared with the control. It was therefore concluded that high doses of the extract may have untoward effects on the kidney and therefore, the use of the plant extract in high doses should be discouraged.