title: Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the ethanolic extracts of Alkanna frigida and Alkanna orientalis.
abstract: Alkanna species are used in Iranian traditional medicine for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of Alkanna frigida and Alkanna orientalis ethanolic extracts via the carrageenan-induced paw edema test and formalin test in rat and mouse, respectively. Ethanolic extracts of plant root were prepared and were injected intraperitoneally 60 min before carrageenan-induced inflammation or formalin-induced nociception at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg. Anti-inflammatory effects of plants were monitored for 3 h after carrageenan injection and anti-nociceptive effects were evaluated during the first hour after formalin injection. Diclofenac, a well-known anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive agent, was used as a positive control. Our results show that, in contrast to Alkanna orientalis, ethanolic extract of Alkanna frigida significantly decreases carrageenan-induced inflammation at 400 mg/kg, especially 3 h after inflammation induction. Both Alkanna frigida and Alkanna orientalis ethanolic extracts possess a remarkable anti-nociceptive effect at each dose (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) in a dose-dependent manner during the first hour after formalin injection.The present findings provide more evidence for the potential anti-nociceptive effect of Alkanna sp. and the anti-inflammatory effect of Alkanna frigida. It supports their traditional indication in the treatment of pain and inflammatory-related diseases. These useful effects may result from the inhibitory interaction of the plant ethanolic extract with cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme and the subsequent reduction in prostaglandin production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: H Monsef
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Esfahani
authors.forename: Z Navvab
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Esfahani
authors.forename: N Khosravi
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Dehaghi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hosseini-Sharifabad
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tabrizian
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parsa
authors.forename: Seyed Nasser
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Ostad
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028082:Boraginaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D002351:Carrageenan
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