ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANALGESIC EFFECTS OF XANTHIUM INDICUM AND CHLORELLA VULGARIS IN ACUTE AND CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY MODELS

Abstract

Medicinal plants and microalgae remain valuable sources for the discovery of anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents because of their diverse phytoconstituents. Xanthium indicum (Asteraceae) and Chlorella vulgaris, microalgae rich in bioactive proteins, polysaccharides, and pigments, have been traditionally associated with therapeutic potential; however, their comparative pharmacological profiles remain underexplored. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti inflammatory and pain-relieving effects of X. indicum and C. vulgaris extracts using both acute and chronic experimental models. Swiss albino mice and Wistar rats are used as long-term animal models. Acute inflammation was induced using egg albumin and histamine-induced paw edema models, chronic inflammation was induced using a cotton pellet-induced granuloma model, and analgesic activity was evaluated using the acetic acid-induced writhing model. Extracts of X. indicum (100, 300, and 500 mg/kg) and C. vulgaris (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) were administered orally and compared with standard drugs (ibuprofen and indomethacin). Both extracts produced significant, dose-dependent reductions in paw edema, granuloma weight, and writhing episodes (p < 0.001) compared to the control groups. X. indicum at 500 mg/kg and C. vulgaris at 300 mg/kg exhibited the most pronounced effects, approaching the standard drug efficacy. Cotton pellet granuloma inhibition reached 29.49% for X. indicum and 29.95% for C. vulgaris at their highest doses. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, glycosides, and alkaloids in both extracts. These results support the potential development of X. indicum and C. vulgaris as alternative therapeutic agents for inflammatory illnesses by demonstrating their strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic potentials in both acute and chronic scenarios.