Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the ethanol extract of elytraria marginata vahl (Whole plant) in wistar rats

Abstract

The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the ethanol extract of Elytraria marginata were studied using hot plate, thermal-induced pain and carrageenan-induced acute inflammation models in adult Wister rats. The preliminary phytochemical constituents of the extract were also ascertained. Inflammation was induced by injecting 0.1 ml of 1% carrageenan into the sub-planter surface of the right hind paw of the rats. Ethanol extract of E. marginata with doses of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg and diclofenac 10 mg/kg were administered orally to separate groups of rats. Control group received 10 ml/kg of distilled water. The results showed that the extract (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.05) reduced the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema in a dose-dependent manner. The oedema reductions at a dose of 150 mg/kg at the 4th h were comparable to that obtained for diclofenac, the standard anti-inflammatory drug at the 3rd hour. The extract also showed a very good analgesic response against hot plate-induced analgesia (thermal stimuli) in the rats. Administration of the extract doses (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) and ibuprofen 100 mg/kg produced a significant (p<0.05) reduction in the pain induced by the hot plate (thermal stimuli) in all the experimental groups when compared with the control. Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. These findings indicate that the ethanol extract of E. marginata has both analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and could be beneficial in alleviating painful inflammatory conditions.