Malacantha alnifolia (Sapotaceae) is a perennial plant found in the tropical rainforests of West Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, this species usually used rheumatism and diarrhea children treatment. This study evaluated anti-arthritic effect of hydroethanol extract of Malacantha alnifolia (HEMa) at doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg bw in rats. HEMa is prepared by cold maceration of 100 g of M. alnifolia trunk bark powder in one liter of a 30% water/70% ethanol mixture for 24 h. Thirty-six albino Rattus norvegicus rats (130-185 g), aged 8 to 16 weeks, were divided into 6 batches of 6 rats each and treated daily during 10 days. Healthy and arthritic rats control received NaCl 9 ‰ (10 mL/kg bw) by gavage, those from batches 2, 3 and 4 received HEMa at 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg bw, respectively. Positive control rats received methotrexate at 0.75 mg/kg bw by gavage. Non-immunological arthritic model induced by injection of 0.1 mL 2.5% formaldehyde was used. Arthritic was assessed throught paw and knee edema, arthritic index scores, sedimentation rate, and inflammation-related hematological and biochemical parameters. Percentages inhibition of these parameters were calculated for each treated group of rats compared to the control group with arthritis. Edema established for 3 days by formaldehyde was significantly reduced by HEMa at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg bw with reductions in paw thickness ranging from 23.18 to 28, respectively. 89% and 25.60 to 31.34% compared to paw thickness of arthritic control rats. Hydroethanolic extract of Malacantha alnifolia has remarkable anti-arthritic properties similar to that of methotrexate.