1. HASAN AKBAR KHAN - Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), the University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
2. ASMA AHMED - Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), the University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
3. REHANA BADAR - Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), the University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
4. NOMAN KHALIQUE - Department of Zoology, the University of Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
5. SYEDA ZAINAB ALI - Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), the University of Lahore.
Injuries occurring at high altitudes or extremely cold environments vary from those involving the central nervous system to those that affect the peripheral regions of the body with frostbite being one of the examples. Herbal medicines although have been in usage for the vast amount of time but have become in vogue nowadays and have now been used in conjunction with western medicines for more effective control with the added advantage of having lesser side effects. The In current study, aqueous extracts of roots and leaves of psychrophytes (plants that grow below 0°C), Bergenia ciliata, Crassula pellucida, Ruta chalapensis, Rumex nepalensis, Palhinhaea cernua, Sedum forsterianum and Pinus roxburghii from Minimerg, Pakistan was used to cure dry ice induced inflammation on plantar surf the ace of hind paw of albino Wistar rats (250-300g of both genders). Paw thickness (cm) was measured for 10 connective days, followed by the histopathology of skin. Statistically analyzed results showed that the leaf extract of P.roxburghiia showed significant reduction (0.7±0.01 cm) in paw thickness, followed by the root extract of C. pellucida(0.55±0.02 cm), root extract of P.cernua (0.7±0.03 cm) and leave extract of S.forsterianum(0.45±0.03 cm). Histological examination performed on male and female rats with application of leaves extracts of P.roxburghii showed no signs of acute inflammation but signs of mild chronic inflammation were observed. Dense reepithelization with no granulation tissue formation was seen in male rat while limited reepithelization with partial granulation tissue formation was observed in the female rat. Moderate collagen deposition and fibroblast maturation was seen in male while mild collagen deposition and fibroblast maturation was observed in female rat. Neovascularization of up to 5/HPF (High power field count) was also observed in male while it was absent in female. These crude extracts could be refined for the isolation and characterization of active compound behind this study.
Psychrophytes, Cold-induced inflammation, Anti-inflammatory plant extracts.