Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research

Aju Mbaise (Ajumbise), which traces its origin to the people of Mbaise in the Owerri Senatorial District of Imo State in Nigeria, is a composite mixture of approximately eight herbal plants in the forms of herbs, barks, and roots, used for the management of delivery pains, postpartum associated disorders and facilitate recoil of the uterus after delivery. In this study, the modulatory effects of different solvent extracts of the polyherbal on inflammatory markers were investigated in parturient and non-pregnant rats. The rats which were assigned to ten groups of 5 rats each (with controls) were treated such that each group was administered a specific solvent extract (500 mg/kg body weight) while the control groups received normal saline. Treatment lasted 28 days before animals were sacrificed for sample collection and analyses of pro-inflammatory markers. Results of the lethal dose (LD₅₀) assessment of the extracts revealed values >5000 mg/kg body weight for all four extracts. The serum concentrations of interleukin-1b, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2 were significantly reduced in the treated nulliparous and parturient rats for all extracts when compared with their respective control values (p<0.05), but that of prostaglandin E1 increased across the test groups when compared with their controls (p<0.05). Therefore, ethanol, chloroform, diethyl ether and aqueous extracts of Ajumbise polyherbal formulation may be safe modulatory agents for the management of pain and inflammatory disorders usually associated with elevated inflammatory cytokines levels and may be used as such, especially in females.