Antiinflammatory and antiulcer activities of Bambusa arundinacea

The extracts of Bambusa arundinacea have been used in Indian folk medicine to treat various inflammatory conditions. The plant has got antiulcer activity also. It is thought that these two properties in the same extract are very much useful in the treatment of inflammatory conditions. It is well known fact that the most of the available antiinflammatory drugs are ulcerogenic. The antiinflammatory effect of the methanol extract of the leaves of Bambusa arundinacea against carrageenin-induced as well as immunologically induced paw oedema and also its antiulcer activity in albino rats have been studied and found to be significant when compared to the standard drugs. The combination of methanol extract and phenylbutazone (Non-Steroidal Antiinflammatory Agent, NSAIA) has been studied and found to be the most potent antiinflammatory activity experimentally with least toxic (no ulcerogenic) activity. Thus, the combination of herbal product (methanol extract of Bambusa arundinacea) with modern medicine (NSAIAs) will produce the best antiinflammatory drug and will be useful for long-term treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis with peptic ulcer, which are common.