title: Analgesic properties of Epilobium angustifolium, evaluated by the hot plate test and the writhing test.
abstract: The analgesic properties of Epilobium angustifolium (Ea), a plant containing flavonoids with anti-inflammatory activity, have not been sufficiently studied so far. Thus, we decided to evaluate, by the classical hot plate test and the writhing test, the analgesic effect of a dry extract of Ea obtained by evaporating a commercially available mother tincture. In the former assay, the effect of Ea (380 mg/kg) was slightly lower than that of morphine (10 mg/kg s.c.). In the writhing test, which is more sensitive for non-steroidal analgesics, the effect of Ea was already significant (P < 0.05) at 95 mg/kg while at doses > or = 190 mg/kg, its activity was similar to that of lysine acetylsalicylate (300 mg/kg). The LD50 of this dry extract of Ea was 1.4+/-0.1 g/kg. Further studies are necessary for the identification of the active principles and the elucidation of their mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Natural Substances and General Physiology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdel-Haq
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitalone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzanti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saso
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D029594:Onagraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010936:Plant Extracts