Analgesic Activity of Traditionally used Fruit Aqueous Extracts of Garcinia indica

Abstract

Pain is becoming an increasingly serious problem in the world. Garcinia indica Choisy (Clusiaceae) fruits, commonly known as ‘Kokum’ are widely used in Ayurveda to relieve pain. This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic activity of Garcinia indica fruit rind extract in experimental rats. The aqueous extract of shade-dried fruit rind of Garcinia indica was used for the study. The hot plate method was used to evaluate centrally mediated analgesic activity while peripheral analgesic activity was tested by sodium chloride-induced writhing test in rats. To assess the analgesic activity, hot-plate latent pain response, tail clip, tail immersion and sodium chloride-induced writhing tests were used in the experimental rat model at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg of Garcinia indica fruit rind extract were used. In the hot plate and tail clip, Garcinia indica fruit rind extract at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg showed a significant (p<0.001) dose-dependent increase in the response latency when compared to the control animals and at 180 min when compared to animals treated with standard drug tramadol. Garcinia indica fruit rind extract at 250 and 500 mg/kg showed no significant prolongation of the tail withdrawal time in rats submitted to the tail immersion test. In the sodium chloride-induced writhing response, Garcinia indica fruit rind extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt, produced a significant (p<0.001) dose-dependent decrease in the number of writhes when compared to the untreated group. Garcinia indica fruit rind extract at both doses caused a significant (p<0.01) reduction in the number of writhes at 60 min compared to animals treated with the standard drug aspirin. In conclusion, the analgesic effects of Garcinia indica fruit rind extract are probably mediated by both cerebral and peripheral inhibitory mechanisms. The findings also support the traditional usage of Garcinia indica fruit in pain relief.