Effects of extracts of Olax subscorpioides and Aspilia africana on bovine red blood cells

Isosaline and ethanol extracts of Olax subscorpioides and Aspilia africana were investigated for their antiinflammatory properties. Both extracts exhibited antiinflammatory activity by stabilizing bovine red blood cell membranes against heat and hypotonic induced lyses. The ethanol extracts showed a biphasic effect on membrane stabilization at all the concentrations tested. The activities of the extracts were comparable to that of the standard drug indomethacin. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.