Abstract

PHARMACOLOGICAL SCREENING OF POLYHERBAL FORMULATION ON COMPLETE FREUND’S ADJUVANT INDUCED RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE IN RATS

Shivakumar S. Ladde*, Prasad S. Menkudale, Pratik D. Kadere, Sachin R. Kamble

ABSTRACT

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic, and progressive autoimmune disease that primarily affects the synovial joints, leading to inflammation, swelling, and gradual destruction of cartilage and bone. It affects nearly 0.5–1% of the world’s population, with women being more commonly affected than men, and its onset usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 years. In addition to joint-related complications, RA is often associated with systemic manifestations such as fatigue, cardiovascular complications, and reduced quality of life. The exact cause of RA is multifactorial, involving genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and abnormal immunological responses, which together trigger persistent inflammation and tissue damage. In the present study, an attempt was made to investigate the anti-arthritic potential of a polyherbal formulation containing Vitex Negundo & Boswellia Serrata. The study was carried out using a Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis model in rats, which closely mimics the pathophysiological features of human RA. The experimental design consisted of six groups: Group I served as the normal control, Group II as the disease control, Group III received the standard anti-arthritic drug, Group IV was treated with the polyherbal suspension 100mg/kg, Group V Was treated with polyherbal suspension 200mg/kg, and Group VI was treated with polyherbal suspension 400mg/kg. The progression of arthritis and the therapeutic efficacy of the formulation were evaluated using various parameters, including changes in body weight, paw volume, and locomotor activity. The disease control group showed a significant reduction in body weight, increased paw swelling, and impaired locomotor activity, confirming the successful induction of arthritis. Treatment with the polyherbal suspension formulation produced a marked reduction in hind paw edema and significantly improved body weight and locomotor activity compared with the disease control group. The results suggest that the polyherbal suspension formulation possesses substantial anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity. In conclusion, the findings of this study highlight the therapeutic potential of a polyherbal formulation containing Vitex Negundo & Boswellia Serrata in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Its ability to reduce inflammation and improve functional outcomes indicates its usefulness as an alternative or complementary therapeutic approach. The present study has already evaluated biochemical parameters Full Blood Count (WBC, RBC, haemoglobin count, platelets count), rheumatoid factor test, C-reactive protein test, and skin irritation tests, further investigations focusing on histopathological and molecular studies are warranted to confirm the precise mechanism of action and enhance its clinical applicability.

Keywords: Autoimmune, Polyherbal Formulation, Complete Freund’s adjuvant, Rheumatoid Arthritis Vitex Negundo, Boswellia Serrata.