Ethnopharmacological And Phytochemical Properties Of Some Plants used In The Management Of Pain

Abstract

Pain is a worldwide problem and is associated with most disease conditions. The properties of herbs used to treat pain were investigated with the aim of confirming their use and finding out some pharmacological properties that may augment their analgesic activity. A total of eighteen plants (Erythrina senegalesis, Nauclea latifollia, Kizelia africana, Pseudocedrela kotchyi, Crotalaris spp., Boswellia dalzielli, Khaya senegalensis, Annona senegalensis, Xylopia aethiopica, Ficus thonningii, Cassia goratensis, Prosopis Africana, Stachytapheta indica, Crinum glaucum, Holerrhena floribunda, Momordica balsamina, Enantia Chlorantha and Sarcocephalus esculentus) were collected and identified out of which nine plants (S. esculentus, C. goratensis, F. thonningii, P. kotschyi, E. chlorantha, N. latifolia, M. balsamina, S. indica, P. africana) were selected for study for possible analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities after preliminary investigations (using writhing reflex test). Analgesic activities were studied using acetic acid induced writhing reflex and hot plate method. Anti-inflammatory activities were conducted using egg albumin induced right paw oedema method. The study revealed that all the nine plants studied had peripheral and / or central analgesic activities. They also poses anti-inflammatory activities. Phytochemical analysis showed that majority of these plants contains flavonoids, tannins and saponins. The intraperitoneal LD50 revealed that the plants are safe for consumption except N. latifolia and S. indica with LD50 0.80 and 0.15 g /Kg respectively. Oral LD50 (LD50 greater than 7.00 g /Kg) revealed that S. indica is safe for oral consumption. Sub acute toxicity test showed that M. balsamina has no significant (P>0.05) effect on vital organs, haematological and biochemical parameter. M. balsamina was also effective in tail flick and formalin test models of analgesia, this indicates that it is effective in the management of peripheral and centrally induced pain. Further study also showed that M. balsamina has hypotensive, anti-diarrhoeal (castor oil and guinea pig ileum models), shorting of onset of Urethane induced sleep, prolongation of urethane induced sleeping time, but not anti-convulsive effects. S. indica was shown to be effective in castor oil induced diarrhoea but not in isolated guinea pig ileum diarrhoea model. M. balsamina was of particular interest because it had most of the claimed properties and is the most potent of the nine plants studied. These results support some of the uses of these plants in folk medicine