FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF POLYHERBAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY OINTMENT FROM AMARANTHUS SPECIES

Background/Objective: Inflammation is a protective response of the body against harmful stimuli such as pathogens, tissue injury and irritants however, chronic inflammation is associated with ailments including Arthritis, Cardiovascular disorders and autoimmune conditions. Methods: Dried leaves of both the species were extracted by maceration using 70% ethanol and concentrated by rotary evaporator. The present study aimed to evaluate the phytochemicals and anti-inflammatory activity of two Amaranthus species- Amaranthus dubius and Amaranthus cruentus through the inhibition of protein denaturation using the Egg Albumin assay. Results: The extract of both species of Amaranthus exhibited the presence of bioactive phytochemicals such as Carbohydrates, Proteins, Flavonoids, Alkaloids, Tannins, Glycosides, etc. confirmed by phytochemical analysis. The extract demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory potential showing a concentration dependent increase in inhibition, which indicates effective protection of proteins from structural damage associated with inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, the formulated Amaranthus based ointment exhibited physicochemical characteristics suggesting its suitability for topical application, although further stability and antimicrobial studies are required in this context to validate the same. Conclusion: The significant in-vitro activity observed for the Amaranthus species may serve as a safer alternative or complementary therapy to conventional synthetic drugs such as Aspirin, however further in-vivo studies and clinical trials are necessary to further validate its efficacy.