Various parts of Tamarindus indica L are used to treat inflammatory disorders. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the ethanolic extracts of the root and stem bark of the plant. The carrageenan-induced paw edema model of inflammation in chicks was used to assess anti-inflammatory activity. The phosphomolybdenum (PM) assay, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays were used to investigate antioxidant potential. Total phenolic content was evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Both stem bark and root extracts possessed similar total phenolic content (11-13 g/100 g AAE) and had comparable total antioxidant capacities (about 27 g/ 100 g GAE). However, the stem bark extract was a better scavenger of both DPPH radicals and hydrogen peroxide, with lower IC 50 values than the root extract. In the anti-inflammation test, both extracts exhibited dose-dependent reduction of edema, similar to the standard drugs used. The root extract, with ED 50 of 118.1 ± 1.9 mg/kg, proved superior to the stem bark extract, whose ED 50 was 154.5 ± 2.6 mg/kg. The results showed that both stem bark and root extracts possess potent antiinflammatory and anti-oxidant activity and confirm their use in folkloric medicine.

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