Anti-nociceptive and Anti-inflammatory Effect of Monotheca buxifolia Leaves and Bark Extract: A Comparative Approach

Abstract

Background: Inflammation plays an important role in various diseases with high prevalence within populations. Monotheca buxifolia has been long used in the folk medicine in urinary tract infections.

Objective: The aim of the study was to comparatively evaluate the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of M. buxifolia leaves and bark along with their fractions.

Methods: The anti-nociceptive activity of M. buxifolia was assessed via acetic acid induce writhing test. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined via formalin induce paw method, while in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activity was carried out through COX-2 enzyme inhibition.

Results: The acetic acid induce anti-nociceptive results of M. buxifolia of bark were more significant (p<0.001) then leaves crude extract of M. buxifolia at 500 mg/kg. The chloroform fraction of both leaves and bark extract also depicts significant reduction 26.5±1.0 and 23.5±0.8 in number of writhes respectively at 500 mg/kg. The anti-nociceptive effect of M. buxifolia bark in paw licking was also significant. The paw licking duration with M. buxifolia leaves crude extract was 1.9±0.01 min at 500 mg/kg dose (p<0.001) in the early phase. The chloroform fraction also showed significant (p<0.001) reduction in paw licking duration. The COX-2 inhibitory assay of leaves extract of M. buxifolia exhibited 60.0±0.5% inhibition (p<0.001) at 1000 µg/ml. The chloroform fraction of M. buxifolia leaves at 1000 µg/ml showed 42.80 ±0.3 inhibition. The bark crude extract of M. buxifolia inhibited 63.83±0.73 % (p<0.001) COX-2 at 1000 µg/ml. The chloroform fraction of M. buxifolia bark at 1000 µg/ml showed 43.83 ±0.33 % inhibition. The results were also comparable with standard drug diclofenac sodium.

Conclusion: Based on promising anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory results, it is suggested that M. buxifolia should be a part of complementary and alternative medicine.