1、5-Lipoxygenase biosynthesis inhibition activity: In in vitrostudies, and two carbon dioxide extracts totally inhibited 5-lipoxygenasebiosynthesis at a concentration of 51.8mg/L, although a convention extract didnot show any inhibition.
2、Analgesic properties: Administration of 20mg/kg harpagoside has beenreported to produce an analgesic effect similar to that of phenylbutazone at50mg/kg. Writhings and stretchings induced in rats by 1.2% acetic acid wassignificantly reduced after administration of an aqueous devil's claw extract(2.2% harpagoside).6An aqueous Harpagphytum root extract given byintraperitoneal administration (200mg/kg) produced 53% protection.3
3、Antimicrobial properties: A crude preparation of H. procumbensdemonstrated antiplasmodial activity5
4、Antioxidant properties: Antioxidant effects similar to selegiline-inducedresponses were found in rats treated with a 53% ethanolic Harpagophytum dryextract2Some animal experiments have reported antioxidant activity of H. procumbens22,23,although these results have not been confirmed by others5,39.
