Evaluation of efficacy of Linum usitatissimum against CFA induced arthritis in rats

The present study was conducted to determine the efficacy of Linum usitatissimum extract against CFA-induced arthritis in rats. The study was conducted in forty female Wistar rats divided into four groups comprising ten animals in each. Group A kept as normal while animals in groups B, C, and D received CFA intra- articularly in the left knee joint. Day 14 post CFA injection, group C, D, E and F received standard drug indomethacin @ 2mg/kg b.wt., ethanolic extract of Linum usitatissimum. Various parameters such as body weight, joint diameter, haematological, biochemical, joint histopathology and radiological evaluation were studied. Analgesic activity of the extract was evaluated in twenty-four healthy mice using Eddy's hot plate method and found to show significant analgesic activity at a dose of 250mg/kg b.wt. From efficacy study it was observed that both the extracts significantly restored the increased parameters such as AST, ALT, BUN, serum creatinine and leukocyte count towards normal compared to arthritic control. Treatment with the extract increased haemoglobin and erythrocyte counts in treatment groups compared to arthritic control. Radiological investigation revealed that standard drug indomethacin along with the extract possess considerable efficacy in reducing the tissue swelling and restored the reduced joint spaces towards normal. However, histopathological examination of animals from group D did not revealed restoration of severity of lesions. From above results it was concluded that ethanolic extracts Linum usitatissimum appears to have promising antiarthritic and analgesic properties.