ABSTRACT
Crateva adansonii is a medicinal herb commonly used in parts of Africa because
of the side effects of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID), like heart
diseases and kidney failure. Inflammation is a major public heart issue in the world
but treatment is becoming complex because of the side effects of antiinflammatory
pharmaceutical drugs. Hence the need for alternative drug is highly
required. This research work investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of
dichloromethane fraction of methanol extract of Crateva adansonii stem bark,
using rodent model. Adult Swiss albino rats (110-200g) of either sex were
randomlydivided into 5 groups of 4 animals each. Groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 received
different doses of the extract (300mg, 500mg, 700mg, and 900mg) in 3% v/v
tween 80 administered intraperitonally respectively. Control group-1 received
volume of 3%v/v tween 80 and standards group received 100mg/kg Ibuprofen.
One hour later acute inflammation was induced by injection of 0.1ml of undiluted
egg albumin into the sub planter of the right hand paw of rats. The volume of the
paw was measured by mercury displacement before and at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 & 3
hours after egg albumin injection, while the standard was measured at internals of
one hour, for up to 4 hours. Edema formation was assessed in terms of the
difference in the zero time per volume of the injected pair and its volume at the
different time after egg albumin injection. For each dose of extract, percentage
inhibition of edema was calculated percentage inhibition. Result show that Crateva
adansonii may have anti-inflammatory effects. This finding supports the use stem
bark of Crateva adansonii in not only traditional medicine for the treatment of
inflammation.

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
Research on analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs has gained great attention for
the past ten years (Farouk et al., 2008). However, the number of new drugs
remains low. Most analgesic and anti- inflammatory compounds available on
market have adverse effects, including life-threatening, bleeding or perforation of
gastro duodenal tract (Buttgereit et al., 2001). Consequently there results the need
to search for more active compounds with less adverse effects.
Free radicals and reactive oxygen species are by products of numerous
physiological and biochemical processes. Natural antioxidants and antiinflammatoryeffects
have been found in a number of food and agricultural products
like seed, roots, stem bark. Besides the traditional resources used for antioxidants,
many plant species have been investigated in the search for natural antioxidants
and anti-inflammatory effect.
There is renewed and increased interest in plants as source of new pharmaceutical
drugs. Crateva Adansonii commonly known as the garlic pear and temple plant and
many other names in a variety of dialect has been viewed to have great anti
inflammatory effect, thus studied here on.(Banias et al. 1992).
Anti-inflammation is therefore understood as a process in which the body responds
to antigenic stimulus to injuries and infections in a coordinated manner in order to
contain a site of change, localize the responds and restore tissue function .it
involves the reaction of vascularized tissues to local injury and the local reaction
and resulting morphological changes, the destruction or removal of infectious
material etc. (Koch 1972).
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1.1 Crateva Adansonii
The flowering tree is called the sacred garlic pear and temple plant, genus:
Crateva, Family: Capparaceae. The tree is sometimes called the spider tree because
the showy flowers bear long, spidery stamens. It is native to Japan, Australia, much
of Southeast Asia and several South Pacific islands. It is grown elsewhere for fruit,
especially in parts of the African continent. The fruit of the tree is edible. The
nectar-filled flowers are attractive to a multitude of insects and birds. The pierid
butterfly (Hebomoiaglaucippe) is a frequent visitor to this plant. The rough back
of this plant is faintly greenish especially when dried up.
Mostly, the bark of this plant stem, root and leaves are medicinal, and hence giving
focus to the study of the stem bark for anti-inflammatory effect is highly proper
and considerable.
1.2 Research Aim and Objectives.
The research aim at the use of Crateva adansonii methanol extract to evaluate antiinflammatory
activity of different fraction of the extract, by administration of this
fraction on induced acute inflammation. Using fresh egg albumin, on adult albino
rats. As an objective to compare the therapeutic potential, either to observe the
physiological impact of Crateva adansonii methanol extracts fractions on white
albino rats and determines the anti-inflammatory effect.