Abstract

EVALUATION OF CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF FICUS PALMATA LEAVES IN ANIMAL MODEL

Dr. Nighat Sultana, Dr. Tehmina Sohail*, Dr. Hina Imran, Dr. Syed Rafay Yaqeen and Dr. Shazia Syed

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to investigate the analgesic activity (central and peripheral model) of the ethanol extract of the leaves of Ficus palmata in rats and mice using tail-flick and acetic acid induce writhing reflex methods. The extract was administered orally at doses of 300 &500 mg/kg b.w while diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg) served as standard. In tail flick latency test, the analgesic activity of ethanol extract at 500mg/kg dose was found statistically very significant (𝑃 value = 0.008) by increasing the reaction time of the rats to 5.16±0.14 sec at 4 hours after treatment in comparison to standard diclofenec sodium which showed reaction time 3.87±0.17 seconds(P value=0.014). While the ethanol extract at 300mg/kg dose showed reaction time of rats 3.80±0.12 seconds at 4hours(P value=0.016) which was nearest to reaction time of standard drug(3.87±0.17 seconds). The writhing test results demonstrated that ethanol extract possess analgesic activity at both doses. However extremely significant results were obtained at higher dose 500mg/kg showed 76.6% writhing inhibition (p=0.0001) as compared to standard drug diclofenac sodium (10mg/kg) 62.6%. It can be concluded that analgesic activities could be due to the presence of certain bioactive chemicals that are responsible for its medicinal value. This study recommends the development of therapeutic alternative for the treatment of pain and can protect against oxidative stress-induced tissue damage.

Keywords: Ficus palmata, Acute oral toxicity, Central and peripheral analgesic activity.