In vitro and In vivo Assessment of the Anti-inflammatory activity of Schinus molle

The Schinus molle plant is commonly found in the Syrian Arab Republic and has been traditionally used to manage inflammatory conditions, treat spasms, and heal wounds. The aim of this research is to verify the traditional use of the ethanol extracts of the fruits and leaves in managing inflammatory conditions. This was achieved by isolating the oil and preparing the ethanol extracts. The anti-inflammatory activity was tested in vitro through an Inhibition of protein denaturation. Additionally, the in vivo activity was tested by inducing carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, where the ethanol extract of the fruits was prepared and injected intraperitoneally, and its effectiveness was compared with sodium diclofenac. The leaves and fruits of the Schinus molle plant showed significant activity in When comparing the ethanol extracts of both parts with the positive control, the ethanol extract of the fruits was more effective than the positive control, yielding 85% activity at a concentration of 100µg/ml, whereas the ethanol extract of the leaves showed 46.3% activity at a concentration of 500µg/ml. This is in comparison to the positive control, sodium diclofenac, which showed 63.5% activity at a concentration of 400µg/ml. The leaves and fruits of the Schinus molle plant showed significant activity in the albumin protection test, especially the ethanol extract of the fruits, which demonstrated the highest activity at a concentration of 200µg/ml with a protection rate of 75.3%, compared to the other extracts and the positive control, which gave a protection rate of 54.6% at a concentration of 300µg/ml. In the carrageenan test, the ethanol extract of the fruits showed lower activity than the positive control, reaching its peak at the fourth hour post-injection with 73% effectiveness at a concentration of 50mg/kg, while the positive control (diclofenac) reached 88%. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most commonly used medications for treating pain and inflammation. However, their use is limited by their harmful side effects, which is why research is leaning towards developing effective and safe drugs from the plant kingdom. The Schinus molle plant is traditionally used in treating inflammatory diseases and rheumatism. Based on the positive results obtained, this encourages conducting clinical studies after performing toxicity tests and ensuring their safety, in order to obtain new compounds with good effectiveness and fewer side effects.