European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PRE CLINICAL STUDIES FOR THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND TOXICITY EVALUATION OF EARTHWORM

Sruthy P.B.*, Anjana J.C., J. Rathinamala, and S. Jayashree

ABSTRACT

Earthworms are precious and low cost source of numerous bioactive molecules. Recently, with the development of biomedicine, the research on pharmaceuticals derived from earthworms has been increasing. Acute Oral Toxicity Study of aqueous extract of earthworm was studied in in vivo model (albino mice) and it was revealed that there was no mortality or any signs of behavioral changes or toxicity observed after oral administration of earthworm aqueous extract. In vitro anti-inflammatory activities of earthworm samples were evaluated using albumin denaturation and membrane stabilization assays and the results indicated that the samples were effective in inhibiting heat induced albumin denaturation and heat induced hemolysis at different concentrations. The anti-inflammatory activity of samples in wistar rats was assessed by using various types of in vivo pharmacological screening methods such as Carrageenan induced rat paw edema and Croton oil induced inner ear edema. Studies have shown that administration of samples of earthworm in wistar rats which were induced of inflammation tends to normalize inflammation and the efficacy of coelomic fluid was similar to that of standard Indomethacin. From the results it was confirmed that earthworm samples possess potential anti- inflammatory activity.

Keywords: hemolysis, edema, wistar rats, coelomic fluid, Eudrilus eugeniae.