Membrane stabilization – A possible mechanism of action for the anti-inflammatory activity of a Bangladeshi medicinal plant: Erioglossum rubiginosum (Bara Harina)

Aims The present study aimed at assessing the effect of methanol extract of Erioglossum rubiginosum, a widely used shrub like plant in folkloric medicine, in experimentally induced inflammation, using human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization as study method. Methods The methanol extract of leaves of E. rubiginosum and its pet-ether, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and aqueous soluble partitionates were subjected to assays for lysis of erythrocytes and % of inhibition in hypotonic solution and heat induced lysis, using acetyl salicylic acid as standard drug, in an in vitro model. Results At the concentration of 1 mg/ml, methanol extract and its pet-ether, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and aqueous soluble partitionates significantly inhibited hypotonic solution induced lysis of the human red blood cell membrane with values of 0.428 ± 0.005, 0.204 ± 0.003, 0.233 ± 0.002, 0.411 ± 0.003, 0.439 ± 0.003% respectively; which were comparable to the standard drug acetyl salicylic acid (0.1 mg/ml), 0.166 ± 0.003. In case of heat induced HRBC heamolysis, the plant extracts also showed significant activity where the values of inhibitory actions were 14.46 ± 0.344, 28.23 ± 0.315, 25.18 ± 0.303, 17.09 ± 0.365, 13.44 ± 0.470% for methanol extract, pet-ether, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform and aqueous soluble partitionates respectively. Conclusion It can be postulated from the observed results that the membrane stabilizing action and inhibition of erythrocyte lysis property of E. rubiginosum may be the possible mechanism of action of its anti-inflammatory activity. So, further studies are suggested to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the plant.