Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanol extract of Annona muricata L. leaves in animal models

Abstract

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanol extract from Annona muricata L. leaves were investigated in animal models. The extract delivered per oral route (p.o.) reduced the number of abdominal contortions by 14.42% (at a dose of 200 mg/kg) and 41.41% (400 mg/kg). Doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg (p.o) inhibited both phases of the time paw licking: first phase (23.67% and 45.02%) and the second phase (30.09% and 50.02%), respectively. The extract (p.o.) increased the reaction time on a hot plate at doses of 200 (30.77% and 37.04%) and 400 mg/kg (82.61% and 96.30%) after 60 and 90 minutes of treatment, respectively. The paw edema was reduced by the ethanol extract (p.o.) at doses of 200 (23.16% and 29.33%) and 400 mg/kg (29.50% and 37.33%) after 3 to 4 h of application of carrageenan, respectively. Doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg (p.o.), administered 4 h before the carrageenan injection, reduced the exudate volume (29.25 and 45.74%) and leukocyte migration (18.19 and 27.95%) significantly. These results suggest that A. muricata can be an active source of substances with antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities.

Keywords: Annona muricata; Annonaceae; anti-inflammatory activity; antinociceptive activity.

Figure 1.

Effects of the ethanol extract from A. muricata leaves on pleural exudation induced by carrageenan in rats. Data are mean ± s.e.m. of six rats. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 vs. control group.

Figure 2.

Effects of the ethanol extract from A. muricata leaves on number of leucocytes in carrageenan-induced pleurisy in rats. Data are mean ± s.e.m. of six rats. ***P < 0.001 vs. control group.