title: Pharmacological evidence favouring the folkloric use of Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst in the relief of pain and fever.
abstract: The methanol extract of Diospyros mespiliformis was evaluated for its claimed folkloric usage in the relief of pain and fever. Antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the extract were evaluated in rats and mice. Studies were carried out on yeast-induced pyrexia in rats, acetic acid-induced writhing in mice, formalin test and egg albumin-induced anti-inflammatory activity in rats. The extract (50 and 100 mg/kg i.p.) gave a potent antipyretic effect for 100 mg/kg and significant activity (P<0.05) against all the analgesic and anti-inflammatory models used. The LD(50) of the extract was estimated to be 513.80+/-33.92 mg/kg i.p. in mice. These results provide support for the use of the plant in relieving pain and fever.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), PMB 21, Abuja, Nigeria. bulusadzu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adzu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dzarma
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Muazzam
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Gamaniel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029788:Diospyros; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts