Evaluation of In-vitro Anti-inflammatory Activity of Sri Lankan Medicinal Pill of Aloe vera, Centella asiatica, and Strychnos potatorum Exacts Using Egg Albumin Denaturation Assay

Abstract

Aims: The study aims to evaluate the albumin heat denaturalization inhibition activity of a Sri Lankan Traditional Medicine pill (STMP) as an indirect measure of anti-inflammation. Methodology: The extracts of Aloe vera, Centella asiatica (Asiatic pennywort), and Strychnos potatorum (Cleaning nut) are the ingredients of the pill. Concentration gradients from 1000 µg/ml to 0.02 µg/ml were prepared using egg albumin and phosphate buffer saline. The pill was incubated in controlled experimental settings at various concentrations, and the absorbance was measured to quantify the level of albumin denaturation.  One NSAID (Ibuprofen) and one steroid (Prednisolone) were used as the reference drugs. The percentage inhibition of protein denaturation at each concentration was calculated by using the formula of (Vt / Vc - 1) x 100% where Vt = absorbance of the test sample and Vc = absorbance of control. Results: The maximum inhibition rate of egg albumin denaturation (46.7%) was seen in the 200 µg/ml concentration, while Prednisolone and Ibuprofen had 2.5% and 24.6% inhibition rates in the same concentration, respectively.  Less than 35% inhibition rate of egg albumin denaturation showed in all other concentrations lower than 200 µg/ml (0.1 µg/ml – 100 µg/ml) of this STMP. The inhibition rates of these concentrations did not differ noticeably from those of the reference medications.  In addition, the STMP had a 28.3% inhibited rate of egg albumin denaturation in 1000 µg/ml concentration while Prednisolone and Ibuprofen showed low inhibition rates compared to the STMP (3.4% and 13.8% respectively) in this concentration. Conclusion: This study discovered that 200 µg/ml of the tested Sri Lankan Traditional Medicine pill had the strongest anti-inflammatory efficacy against protein denaturation.  Furthermore, the effect against albumin denaturation in high-concentration Sri Lankan STMP (200 µg/ml and 1000 µg/ml) surpassed that of the reference drugs, signifying a more pronounced impact.