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 anti-

inflammatoryeffects 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 anti-

inflammatory 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.

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