Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of an ethanolic extract of Moringa concanensis tender pod-like fruits in experimental animals were evaluated. The ethanolic extract of M. concanensis at the dose levels of 200 and 400 mg/kg, was administered orally, once daily for 3 days for evaluation of the analgesic (analgesy-meter-induced pain, acetic acid-induced writhing and reaction time in the hot plate test) and anti-inflammatory (carrageenan-induced paw edema) effects. The activities of lysosomal enzymes and glycoproteins were investigated in fundic stomach and liver homogenate of rats with adjuvant–induced arthritis. A significant analgesic activity of M. concanensis was observed in mice; 22.53 % and 51.47 % (P<0.05 and P<0.001) protection against mechanical pain, 22.73 % and 51.63 % (P<0.05), protection against acetic acid-induced writhing and 62.20 % and 125.59 % (P<0.05 and P<0.01) protection against thermal-induced pain. Aspirin and pentazocine potentiated the analgesic effect of M. Concanensis. However, M. concanensis caused a significant (P<0.05 and P<0.001) and dose dependent inhibition of paw swelling caused by the carrageenan after 3 hr equivalent to 26.28 % and 44.23 % protection. Under the same experimental conditions, nimuslide (50 mg/kg; p.o.) potentiates the anti-inflammatory activity of M. concanensis. Oral administration of M. concanensis showed a tendency to reduce the elevated levels of the lysosomal enzymes (acid phosphatase and N-acetyl glucosaminidase) significantly and they reverted to near normal values, which may be due to stabilization of the lysosomal membrane. The glycoprotein (total hexose and sialic acid) contents were increased following treatment of M. concanensis in liver and stomach homogenate of rats with adjuvant–induced arthritis. Our results show that Moringa concanensis possess significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity.

Key words: Moringa concanensis, pain, inflammation