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Abstract
The anti-inflammatory effects of Vitex negundo Linn essential oils and extracts were evaluated using Carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in rats and the paw volume was measured plethysmometrically at 60, 90, 150 and 180 minutes after drug treatment. The analgesic effects were also evaluated for both central and peripheral analgesic activity using Eddy’s hot plate and Acetic acid induced wriths methods respectively in swiss albino mice. The essential oils and extracts were given in graded doses (p.o.) to healthy animals in both the experimental models and the effects were compared with standard drug diclofenac sodium. An excellent inhibition in edema volume was observed by leaves and green fruit oils at 150 minutes at a dose of 250 mg/kg, the inhibition was comparable (23 %) to standard drug diclofenac sodium (24 %). All ethanolic extracts also exhibited good inhibition in paw edema volume at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg p.o. except the ethanolic extract of flowers. Ethanolic fruit and root extracts showed inhibition in paw edema 34 % and 37 % respectively comparable to standard drug inhibition 42 %. Out of four essential oils, maximal inhibition of the nociceptive response was shown by oil of leaves (60 %) while all other oils showed only moderate inhibition (50–55 %) in comparison to standard drug diclofenac sodium (67 %) in writhing response induced by acetic acid. All the ethanolic extracts showed only moderate inhibition in writhing response induced by acetic acid. All essential oils at 150 and 250 mg/kg p.o. doses elicited very good analgesic activity and increased the latency time in comparison to control. The ethanolic leaves, fruit and root extracts were found to be show significant nociception response at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of essential oils may devoted to presence of different terpenoids while ethanolic extracts of leaves, fruit and root may be having these activities due to presence of pentacyclic triterpenoids like ursolic and betulinic acid or due to flavonoids.