Abstract

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF SEED OILS OF OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA L. AND PUNICA GRANATUM L. FROM MOROCCO

Fadoua El Hachimi*, Ghizlane Hajjaj, Abdenbi Bendriss, Yahia Cherrah and Katim Alaoui

Abstract

Opuntia ficus-indica L. and Punica granatum L. seeds are widely used in Moroccan traditional medicine. The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the seed oils from this two plants to enhance its use in folk medicine. The seed oils was extracted in a soxhlet apparatus and the acute toxicity was evaluated by oral administration to swiss female mice according to the OECD guidelines 423 and The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in carrageenan and experimental trauma-induced inflammatory hind paw oedema in wistar rats. Our results showed that in the acute toxicity studies of Opuntia ficus-indica L. and Punica granatum L. seed oils did not produce mortality or changes in general behaviour of the test animals on the other hand the seed oils of the two plants had significant antiinflammatory activity comparable to the control and reference drug used in both models. Owing to the anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranate and prickly pear seed oils. The studies can be further extended to exploit them for their possible application for the treating inflammation and pain in Morocco as well as their use in product application like pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals in Morocco.

Keywords: Opuntia ficus indica L., Punica granatum L., Anti-inflammatory activity, Carrageenan, Rat paw oedema.