EVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF POLYHERBAL ANTIARTHRITIC FORMULATION
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory, autoimmune disorder, with unknown cause. About 1 % of the world‟s population is affected from rheumatoid arthritis. Drugs used for the treatment of arthritis provide only symptomatic relief but do not cure the underlying causes and also posses the severe side effects. This necessitates need of alternative therapy that will be safe as well as control prognosis of disease. So in this study, polyherbal formulation consisting of Withania somnifera, Commiphora guggul, Vitex negundo, Boswellia serrata, Myrica esculenta & Hyoscymus niger was formulated as tablet & named as “Asthitone†(500 mg) & was evaluated for antiarthritic activity in the Complete Freund‟s adjuvant induced arthritis in Wistar Rats. Polyherbal formulation & its individual constituents were administered orally for 12 days. Paw volume & % inhibition of paw edema was measured on 0, 5th, 21st day with plethysmometer .The liver & kidney toxicity was also evaluated by measuring serum parameters SGOT, SGPT, BUN & Creatinine & with their histopathological study. The results showed that polyherbal formulation and its individual constituent significantly reduced inflammation of paw in rats as compared to standard drug (Diclofenac) & marketed herbal formulation “Yograj Guggul.†Evaluation of serum parameters and histological studies indicated no liver and kidney toxicity as compared to Diclofenac. The polyherbal formulation “Asthitone†showed significant antiarthritic activity than the individual drug which may be due to cumulative effect of individual drug