Anti-inflammatory property of a local medicinal plant (Ziziphus lotus. L.)

Abstract

The Mediterranean climate is an important factor in the spread of several medicinal plants used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. Ziziphus lotus is a medicinal plant known in Algeria as "Sedra" and is used as an analgesic, antiinflammatory and blood sugar lowering agent. This plant is characterized by the presence of several biological active compounds, such as polyphenols and flavonoids. This theoretical study is a scientific contribution to the determination of the antiinflammatory effect of Z. lotus by reviewing experimental studies such as the antiinflammatory effect of Z. lotus on TPA-induced skin inflammation, on carrageenan-induced edemas and experimental trauma, and then to elucidate the effect of polyphenols of this plant pulp on obesity, which is a low-grade inflammation. According to these studies, the tests practiced on Wistar mice showed that the Z. lotus seed sprouts possessed antiinflammatory activity by reducing the ear thickness and the water content, Z. lotus seed oil reduces carrageenan-induced edemas and experimental trauma in a dose-dependent manner. Polyphenols are the most active compounds present in the core of Z. lotus which showed an antiinflammatory effect of a high-fat diet by reducing inflammatory proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF, IL6).