Menthalactone, a new analgesic from Mentha cordifolia opiz. Leaves

Abstract

Menthalactone, a new long-chain alkene with a bicyclic lactone moiety, was isolated as an analgesic constituent from the leaves of Mentha cordifolia Opiz. At a dosage of 100 mg/ kg mouse, it decreased the number of squirms induced by acetic acid by 67.3%. Statistical analysis using Kruskall Wallis one-way analysis of variance by ranks showed that menthalactone is different from the solvent control at α = 0.01 and approximates the analgesic activity of mefenamic acid at 0.001 level of significance. © 2009 Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung, Tübingen.