LAUSR

Abstract Andrographis paniculata and Coleus forskholii are medicinal plants, used in traditional Ayurveda systems and owe therapeutic properties due to their bioactive ingredients andrographolide and forskolin respectively. In the present investigation, both these molecules were evaluated at a dose of 10 mg kg−1 body mass administered by gavage, for their anti-inflammatory and anti-nociception (tail flick latency) properties in Wistar rats in comparison with the reference drug diclofenac. The studies were carried out independently. The percent inhibition in inflammation exhibited, by diclofenac were found to be 0, 18, 37, 20, and 17.2%, by andrographolide 0, 13.6, 29.6, 27.5, and 13.7% and by forskolin 0, 11, 40, 31, and 6.8% at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 min drug reaction time respectively. Forskolin exhibited highest inhibitory effect (40%) at 60 min (p < 0.01). In the anti-nociceptive studies, diclofenac increased the tail flick latency time at 30, 60 and 90 min (p< 0.01), while andrographolide increased at 30 and 90 min (p < 0.01) and forskolin at 90 min (p < 0.05). The present studies establish that andrographolide and forskolin are potent anti-inflammatory as well as anti-nociceptive molecules.