Anti-inflammatory activity in extracts prepared from callus cultures of Eucomis autumnalis (Mill.) Chitt.

High levels of anti-inflammatory activity have been detected in extractsprepared from Eucomis plants as well as from invitro plantlets. Callus was initiated from leaf explants andexperiments were conducted to maximise callus proliferation. Optimal callusgrowth occurred on an Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 100 mgamp;ell;^–1 myo-inositol, 30 gamp;ell;^–1 sucrose, 2 gamp;ell;^–1 Gelrite^®, and a hormone combination of 10mg amp;ell;^–1 2,4-D and 2 mgamp;ell;^–1 kinetin. Callus cultures maintained in the darkgrew best. Callus extracts tested in the cyclooxygenase (COX) assays (250g mamp;ell;^–1) showed a greater inhibition ofCOX-2 inhibition (69%) than COX-1 inhibition (46%).