• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2007

Ethanolic extract (50% v/v) and alkaloid fraction of Tylophora indica leaves were examined for lysosomal enzyme inhibitory activity in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. The alkaloid fraction showed statistically significant inhibition of arthritic lesions (p < 0.05) from day 18, (p < 0.025) from day 20 and (p < 0.001) from day 21 onwards in the adjuvant-induced arthritis, which was comparable to the response of standard drug Indomethacin. The ethanolic extract was less significant than the alkaloidal fraction in inhibition of arthritis. Alkaloid fraction showed significant (p < 0.001) inhibitory effect on the lysosomal enzyme activities in adjuvantinduced arthritic rats. It also significantly prevented decrease in collagen levels and synovial damage observed during arthritis and also inhibited increase in urinary excretion levels of collagen degradation products like hydroxyproline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, etc. Both ethanolic extract as well as the alkaloid fraction, however, did not show any significant activity in normal nonarthritic rats. The ethanolic extract and the alkaloid fraction may thus be able to inhibit the progress of inflammation and inhibit the destructive activity of lysosomal enzymes on structural macromolecules like collagen etc. in the synovial capsule in joints during arthritic states. They may thus prevent synovial damage observed during arthritis.