Constituents of Plants Growing in Qatar VII An examination of Certain Plants for Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Abstract

Six desert plants native to the State of Qatar were successively extracted with hexane, chloroform and ethanol. These extracts were examined for their ability to inhibit aggregation of rabbit blood platelets induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), 12-deoxyphorbol phenylacetate (12-DOP) and arachidonic acid (ARC). All extracts failed to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by ARC but the chloroform extract of Acacia ehrenbergiana produced a 100% inhibition of aggregation induced by ADP and 12-DOP whilst the chloroform extracts of Anastatica hierochuntica and Convolvulus prostratus at the same dose level produced a 100% and 50% inhibition of ADP and 12-DOP induced aggregation (respectively). These three extracts were tested in vivo for inhibition of 12-DOP induced erythema of mouse ears and produced between 20 and 80% inhibition of redness at dose of 100 μg per ear.