Salvia

To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of methanol extract of flowers of Salvia officinalis Linn. (MESO). Antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging activity of MESO has been evaluated by employing various in vitro models including reducing power, Total antioxidant activity, DPPH radical, ABTS  radical, superoxide radical (O2• –), nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and metal chelating activity. Anti-inflammatory activity has been evaluated by carrageenan induced rat paw edema animal model. The plant extract (MESO) revealed significant antioxidant activity with lower IC50 values. Metal chelating activity was found poor. In inflammation model, MESO demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity with maximum oedema inhibition at 3 rd hour post carrageenan injection. The results indicated that the plant could be a potential source of antioxidant and could find a use in the herbal therapy of inflammation also.