188EVALUATION OF THE ANTI-ASTHMATIC POTENTIAL OF BOERHAAVIA DIFFUSA (B.DIFFUSA) IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALSRegardless of existing medical knowledge on allergy and asthma, the treatment of asthma still remains unsatisfactory owing to the limitations of current therapies and associated side effects. Aqueous root extract of Boerhaavia diffusa (B.diffusa), possess anti inflammatory property and has been used traditionally in the treatment of asthma as mentioned in ayurvedic literature. Therefore, the present study was planned to evaluate and explore potential mechanism/s involved in the beneficial effects of B.diffusa in asthma using various animal models. The aqueous root extract of B.diffusa was studied at3different doses (200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, and 600 mg/kg) using 3 animal models. The models used for evaluating the antiasthma potential of B.diffusa were ovalbumin-induced allergic response in rats, clonidine-induced mast cell degranulation in rats, and model of bronchial hyperresponsiveness induced by histamine aerosol in guinea pigs. Each model consisted of 5 groups (Group 1: disease control; Group 2: positive control; Group 3: B.diffusa 200mg/kg; Group 4: B. diffusa 400 mg/kg, Group 5: B. diffusa 600 mg/kg. All the 3 doses of B diffusa showed significant reduction in total leucocyte count, eosinophils, neutrophils and mononuclear cell count as compared to disease control(p<0.001). The reduction of peribronchial inflammation in both dexamethasone (p<0.001) and B. diffusa600 mg/kg (p<0.05) group was found to be significant compared to disease control group. The percentage of intact mast cells was found to be significantly higher in the sodium chromoglycate and B. diffusa 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg as compared to the disease control group (p<0.001).Increase in the preconvulsion time was observed with all 3 doses of B.diffusa, significant as compared to disease control group (p<0.001). These findings corroborate that B.diffusa suppresses the airway inflammation, demonstrates membrane stabilizing property and reduces airway hyperresponsiveness.drtejalchetan@gmail.comResearch822018Bronchial hyper reactivity, Bronchoalveolar lavage, Mast cell degranulation, Ovalbumin, Pre convulsion timeTejal Chetan Patel,Parvan Ananda Shetty,Dinesh Amrith Uchil,Sharmila Vinayak,JalgaonkarTejal Chetan Patel,Parvan Ananda Shetty,Dinesh Amrith Uchil,Sharmila Vinayak,Jalgaonkar