Antipyretic, Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Strobilanthes formosanus

The methanolic extract of Strobilanthes formosanus was investigated for its antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities in animal models. In unanesthetized rats, the extract (100-1000 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a dose-related fall in colonic temperature at room temperature (24 ± 1℃). The fever induced by interleukin-1β(10 ng/10μL, lateral cerebral ventricle injection) was attenuated by treatment with the extract (50-1000 mg/kg, i.p.). However, the extract (1000 mg/kg) and acetaminophen (50 mg/kg) did not significantly attenuate pyrexia induced by PGE2 (200ng/10μL,i.c.v.). The extract significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the writhing response of mice and decreased the licking time in both the early and late phases of the formalin test. A significant (P＜0.05) inhibition of neutrophil degranulation induced by fMLP was also produced by the extract. This study established the antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of S. formosanus.