68 The Journal of Phytopharmacology 2015; 4(2): 68-72 Online at: www.phytopharmajournal.com Research Article ISSN 2230-480X JPHYTO 2015; 4(2): 38-72 March- April © 2015, All rights reserved Behzad Mohaddesi Department of Pharmaceutical sciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot, Gujarat, India Ashok BK Drug Discovery Team, Research and Development, The Himalaya Drug Company, Makali, Bangalore, India Rabinarayan Acharya Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India Vinay J Shukla Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India Correspondence: Behzad Mohaddesi Department of Pharmaceutical sciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot-360005, Gujarat, India Anti-inflammatory activity of Nelsonia canescens (Lam)Spreng. root in albino rats. Behzad Mohaddesi*, Ashok BK, Rabinarayan Acharya, Vinay J Shukla Abstract Nelsonia canescens (Lam).Spreng. from Acanthaceae family is traditionally known as Bada-rasna in the western part of Odisha, India. Ethnic people use root of this plant for its anti-inflammatory properties in the name of Rasna, a well known Ayurvedic analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug. Hence, present study was undertaken to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of the root powder of Nelsonia canescens (Lam).Spreng. In this study two dose levels selected (270 mg/kg and 540 mg/kg) from root powder of Nelsonia canescens for evaluating the Acute and chronic anti-inflammatory activity in Wistar albino rats, using animal models of carrageenan-induced paw oedema, formaldehyde-induced hind paw oedema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma formation respectively. Both dose levels Therapeutic Equivalent Dose (TED) and TED×2 showed significant anti-inflammatory against chronic inflammation. In Carrageenan-induced paw oedema, treatment with Nelsonia canescens root at the TED dose level inhibited inflammation at marginal level, while at TED×2 did not show any impact. Furthermore, test drug at TED dose level significantly inhibited formalin induced paw oedema inflammation and interestingly, the effect was even better than result of standard drug. The study indicate that drug is having anti-inflammatory effect on animal models and According to results we can conclude that the root of Nelsonia canescens has an effect on sub-acute inflammation and mild to moderate effect against acute inflammation. Keywords: Ayurveda, folklore medicinal plant, Inflammation, Nelsonia canescens. Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined traditional medicine (including herbal drugs) as comprising therapeutic practices that have been in existence, often for hundreds of years, before the development and spread of modern medicine and are still in use today. 1 Herbal medicines offer safe and effective treatment and are in great demand in the developed world for primary health care. Now a days, they are also used as therapeutic drugs for age-related disorders such as memory loss, osteoporosis, immune disorders for which no modern medicine is available in the market. 2 Herbal medicines are the synthesis of therapeutic experiences from generations of traditional healers, and in many countries, the plant drugs are still in use in its traditional way and modern health care systems for treatment of different disorder and to improve the health. Inflammation is one of the types of disease which is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells and/or irritants. 3 It is a body defense reaction in order to eliminate the spread of injurious agent as well as to remove the consequent necrosed cells and tissues. Inflammation helps to clear the infections and along with repair, makes wound healing possible, both have considerable potential to cause harm. For example, inflammatory reactions underlie life-threatening anaphylactic responses to insect bites or drugs. An initial inflammatory stimulus triggers the release of chemical mediators from plasma or cells, which then regulate the subsequent vascular and cellular responses. 4 Nelsonia canescens (Lam).Spreng. is one of the medicinal plant grow abundantly in various parts of Odisha, India 5 and also found in the Gujarat, 6 Assam, 7 and Madras 8 . Traditionally, the root of this plant is used by the traditional healers of Odisha (in the local name of Badarasna-Rasna) for the treatment of various inflammatory and painful conditions, especially in arthritic conditions. 9, 10 In spite of its reputation in treating these ailments, till date no pharmacological work to support these claims has been reported. Hence, the present study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of root of Nelsonia canescens in experimental rats.