Studies on Ruta chalepensis, an ancient medicinal herb still used in traditional medicine.

An ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Ruta chalepensis was studied for its anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic and CNS depressant activities. The extract produced a significant inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw oedema and cotton pellet granuloma in rats. The studies on spontaneous motor activity in mice and conditioned avoidance responding (CAR) in rats showed a dose-dependent depression of the central nervous system in treated animals. Reduction of yeast-induced hyperthermia in mice confirmed its reputed antipyretic activity. The extract did not produce any significant changes in prothrombin time and fibrinogen level. It also failed to produce any analgesic activity in the hot plate reaction-time test in mice. Phytochemical screening of the aerial parts of the plant showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, tannins, volatile oil, sterols and/or triterpenes.