title: Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antiulcerogenic activities of ethanol root extract of Strophanthus hispidus DC (Apocynaceae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Strophanthus hispidus DC (Apocynaceae) is a medicinal plant widely used in traditional African medicine in the treatment of rheumatic afflictions, ulcer, conjunctivitis, leprosy and skin diseases. This study sought to investigate the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antiulcer properties of the ethanol root extract of S. hispidus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antinociceptive activity was evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin tests in mice. The carrageenan- and egg albumin-induced rat paw edema tests were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory actions, whereas the antiulcer activity was investigated using ethanol-, HCl- and pyloric ligation-induced gastric ulcer models in rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S. hispidus [100-800 mg/kg orally (po)] produced significant (p<0.05) inhibition of writhing reflex with peak effect of 74.13% inhibition observed at 800 mg/kg. Similarly, S. hispidus significantly (p<0.05) attenuated formalin-induced early and late phase of nociception with peak effect of 61.84% and 89.43%, respectively, at 200 mg/kg. S. hispidus (25-800 mg/kg po) caused significant (p<0.05) inhibition of edema development in the carrageenan and egg albumin models with peak effect (93.40% and 90.10% inhibition of edema formation) observed at 50 mg/kg. With respect to antiulcer activity, S. hispidus (100-800 mg/kg) showed potent antiulcer activity with respective peak effects of 96% (ethanol-induced), 99% (HCl-induced) and 70.60% inhibition of ulcer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings in this study suggest that the ethanol root extract of S. hispidus possesses antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antiulcerogenic activities. This justifies the use of the extract in folklore medicine for the treatment of ulcer and inflammatory disorders.
authors.forename: Ismail O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Ishola
authors.forename: Olufunsho
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Awodele
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Oreagba
authors.forename: Abdulahi A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Murtala
authors.forename: Micah C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chijioke
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy; D030013:Strophanthus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol