Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of Platostoma africanum (P. Beauv) leaf in mice

Abstract

In Nigeria, traditional medicinal plants are often use to relieve pain and inflammation. Traditional healers in Nigeria folk medicine use herbs like P. africanum (P.beauv) to relieve pain and inflammation. The current work sought to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of methanol crude extract and fractions of P. africanum aerial part in animal models.

Extraction was accomplished through successive maceration with solvents of increasing polarity: methanol, n-hexane, and butanol. Following extraction, the crude extract and fractions were tested for central analgesic activity using the tail immersion test. Anti-inflammatory activity was tested using carrageenan induced paw edema. The extract and fractions were tested at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg dosages.  The positive control groups received pentazocine 10 mg/kg for tail immersion and diclofenac potassium 10 mg/kg for paw edema testing, whereas the negative control group received distilled water (10 mL/kg). All treatments were given orally.

1. africanumfractions demonstrated statistically significant antinociceptive efficacy in both chemical-induced peripheral and thermal-induced central pain (p < 0.001). The maximum dose of the hexane fraction (400 mg/kg) in 90 minutes produced the highest analgesic effects. The extract also had a statistically significant (p < 0.001) effect on carrageenan-induced paw edema in a dose-dependent manner. The greatest dose of butanol (400 mg/kg) in 240 minutes inhibited edema most effectively.

In general, the results of the current investigation revealed that the extract possessed strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and future research is needed to identify the components responsible.