The study investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of an Ayurvedicherbo-mineral formulation, Chandra prabhavati (CV) which consist of 37 ingredients, in order to justify its claimed anti- inflammatory action, and also its underlying main anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Acute anti-inflammatory activity of CV was assessed using rat carrageenan- induced paw oedema test (doses tested: 1000, 2000 and 4000mg/kg, day following oral administration) and chronic anti-inflammatory activity with rat formaldyhyde-induced paw oedema assay (doses tested: 1000, 2000 and 4000mg/kg/day for 7 consecutive days). The results revealed that CV possesses marked and significant (P<0.05) acute (interms of simultaneous suppression of initial, (by 43.7%) maintance (by 47.6%) and late (36-56%) phases of carrageenan- induced paw oedema test) and chronic (interms of inhibition of oedema in formaldyhyde test) anti-inflammatory activity. These anti-inflammatory activities were dose-dependent and comparable to reference drug, indomethecin. In addition, CV showed marked and significant (P<0.05) anti-histamine activity (as determined by wheel test) and prostaglandin inhibitory activity (when tested in mouseenteropool assay). Together, these findings overly justify, for the first time, the recommendation of CV for inflammatory conditions in Ayurvedic medicine.
