<i>In vivo</i> and <i>in silico</i> anti-inflammatory activity of <i>Artemisia vulgaris</i> and β-caryophyllene oxide in carrageenan-induced paw edema in Wistar rats

This study is aimed to evaluate the impact of methanolic extract of <i>Artemisia vulgaris</i> and isolated plant compound, β-Caryophyllene oxide against carrageenan-induced paw edema in rat model and its therapeutic potential compared with reference drug, Indometacin. Methanolic extract of <i>A. vulgaris</i> was characterized using FTIR, LC-MS, NMR spectral studies. Paw edema was induced by sub-plantar injection of 100 µl of 1% carrageenan. Oxidative enzymes, such as super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR), lipid peroxidation and C-reactive protein levels were measured in paw tissue. <i>In silico</i> evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of plant compounds was evaluated against the molecular targets of inflammation. C-reactive protein and lipid-peroxidation levels were significantly increased whereas the activity levels of oxidative enzymes were significantly decreased in inflammation-induced rats. The recovery of oxidative enzyme levels was seen in treated groups in a dose dependent manner. C-reactive protein and lipid-peroxidation levels were significantly decreased in treated groups, indicating the anti-inflammatory activity of the plant extract and the plant compound. Computational analysis rationalizes the inhibitory ability of plant derived compound possibly by altering the inflammatory signaling pathway.