ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECT OF SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION OF AQUEOUS AND ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF PARKIA BIGLOBOSSA IN L-NAME ADMINISTERED RATS

Inflammation is crucial for healing and maintaining homeostasis, but chronic inflammation can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure. This study explored the anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Parkia biglobossa (African locust bean) in rats treated with L-NG-Nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a compound that induces hypertension and inflammation. Prepared aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stem bark of Parkia biglobossa was administered to a total of sixty-four (64) rats, of both sexes, divided randomly into 8 groups of 8 rats each. The animals were sacrificed after a period of 5 weeks and inflammation biomarkers, interleukins and C-reactive protein (CRP), were measured. The aqueous extract significantly reduced inflammatory markers, CRP and IL-6, in L-NAME-treated rats, demonstrating its potential in managing cardiovascular inflammation. The extracts showed both preventive and treatment effects. The ethanolic extract had varied effects as the preventive group showed higher inflammatory markers while the treatment group had reduced IL-6 levels. These findings suggest that the timing and context of extract administration play crucial roles in its anti-inflammatory effectiveness. This means that timing of extract administration is an important factor in relation to the effectiveness of the extracts. This research supports the traditional use of Parkia biglobossa in treating inflammation and highlights its potential as a natural therapy for cardiovascular diseases. The study also contributes to the growing evidence for using indigenous plants in developing alternative and complementary therapies for chronic diseases.