Study of anti-inflammatory effect of dry plant extracts in animal experiment

The study assessed the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts and decoctions obtained from black currant leaves and sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) leaves collected in ecologically clean areas of the Republic of Buryatia. The leaves were dried at room temperature without exposure to sunlight, and dry extracts were obtained using vacuum-pulse methods at temperatures of 35 40 °C. The experiment involved 48 Wistar rats divided into 6 groups: a control group (no treatment), a group with chamomile decoction (reference drug), groups with decoctions of black currant and sea buckthorn leaves, and groups with aqueous solutions of dry extracts of black currant and sea buckthorn at a concentration of 100 mg/kg of animal body weight. Paw edema was induced by subplantar injection of a 3 % formalin solution, the severity of inflammation was measured in 2 and in 24 hours after edema induction. The study results showed that all investigated plant extracts and decoctions exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, though their efficacy varied depending on exposure time and administration form. The decoctions of blackcurrant and sea buckthorn leaves demonstrated similar effectiveness to chamomile decoction, while dry extracts-particularly sea buckthorn leaf extract—showed the highest efficacy 24 hours after formalin administration. The dry extracts demonstrated more pronounced antiinflammatory activity compared to decoctions, likely due to their higher content of bioactive compounds. The obtained data confirm the potential of using blackcurrant and sea buckthorn leaves as sources of anti-inflammatory agents, which could be valuable for developing new herbal medicines.