1 Post Graduate, Pharmacology, Sree Balaji Medical College & Hospital, Chrompet, Chennai.
2 Associate Professor, Pharmacology, Sree Balaji Medical College & Hospital, Chrompet, Chennai.
3 Professor And Hod, Pharmacology, Sree Balaji Medical College & Hospital, Chrompet, Chennai.
4 Assistant Professor, Orthopaedics, Vels Medical College & Hospital, Manjankaranai, Tiruvallur, Chennai.
Background & Objectives: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids) and corticosteroids are the most commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs in clinical practice, despite their side effects. This indicates the need for the development of an effective, safe, and economical anti-inflammatory drug with fewer harmful side effects. In many developing countries, plants used in medicine are the main source of therapy, but only a few have strong scientific backing. Sida acuta, also known as the common wireweed, is a pan-tropical shrub used in different herbal medical practices. Recent studies have shown its significant anti-inflammatory activity compared to other conventional anti-inflammatory drugs. The aim of this study is to determine the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of sida acuta, to confirm its traditional use in the treatment of inflammation, and to explain its mechanism of action.
Materials & Methods: The anti-inflammatory activity of sida acuta was determined by comparing it with the standard diclofenac sodium using two different methods. 1) Hypotonicity-induced human red blood cell (hrbc) membrane stabilization assay: Samples of 200 to 1000 μg, prepared in phosphate buffer solution, were tested against diclofenac sodium as a standard. The extent of hrbc hemolysis and membrane stabilization (protection) was determined spectrophotometrically by measuring the optical density at 560 nm. The anti-inflammatory activity was measured as the percentage of rbc lysis. 2) Bovine serum albumin (bsa) denaturation assay, where ethanol extracts of the sample (200-1000 μg concentrations) were compared with standard aspirin as a control. The level of protein precipitation was measured in terms of optical density (od) spectrophotometrically at 660 nm. Anti-inflammatory activity is expressed as the percentage of protein denaturation.
% of inhibition of hemolysis or protein denaturation (anti-inflammatory activity) = (o.D. Of control - o.D. Of sample) / (o.D. Of control) x 100
Result: The sample extracts are able to stabilize the erythrocyte membrane in hypotonic solution and exhibit more major activity than diclofenac sodium at different doses (200–1000 μg concentrations). The hrbc membrane acts similarly to the lysosomal membrane. If hrbc membrane stabilizes by using the extract, then it means the extracts also stabilizes the lysosomal membrane. The sample also demonstrated a very high percentage of inhibition of protein denaturation compared to aspirin, thereby exhibiting its higher anti-inflammatory potency.
Conclusion: In this study, we showed that the sida acuta extracts have enormous potential and can be used to inhibit the inflammatory responses. These findings collectively underscore the therapeutic potential of sida acuta as an anti-inflammatory agent, validating its traditional applications and suggesting avenues for further research and development in phytomedicine.
Keywords: Sida Acuta, Anti-Inflammatory, Hrbc, Albumin Denaturation, Protein Denaturation, Medicinal Plant, Diclofenac, In Vitro Assays.
How To Cite This Article: Thiyagarajan A, Brigida S, Elizabeth Aa, Ganesh Ram S. Evaluation Of In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of Sida Acuta. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(4):344. Doi: 10.25258/ijddt.16.4.36