title: Antinociceptive property of Olax subscorpioidea Oliv (Olacaceae) extract in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Olax subscorpioidea is a shrub or tree found in Nigeria, and other parts of Africa. It is used in the management of inflammatory disorder, mental illness, convulsion, pain, and cancer. However, there is dearth of information on scientific basis for its folkloric use in the management of pain. Therefore, the study was designed to investigate the antinociceptive property of the extract of Olax subscorpioidea (EOS) leaves in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antinociceptive activity of EOS (12.5-50 mg/kg, i.p.) was investigated using acetic acid induced abdominal writhing, tail immersion, hot plate and formalin tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Extract of Olax subscorpioidea produced significant dose dependent inhibition of writhing frequency [F(4,20)=155.9, p<0.0001] and significant dose dependent inhibition of neurogenic and inflammatory pains [F(4,20)=116.7, p<0.0001; F(4,20)=40.05, p<0.0001]. It also produced a significant dose dependent prolongation of the latent period and reaction times in tail immersion and hot plate tests in mice [F(4,20)=19.49, p<0.0001; F(4,20)=97.95, p<0.0001].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Olax subscorpioidea possessed potent analgesic action, mediated centrally and peripherally, thus justifying its use in the management of pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Electronic address: adeoluwaolusegun@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Olusegun Adebayo
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Adeoluwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adegbuyi Oladele
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Aderibigbe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Toyin
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Olonode
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009549:Nigeria; D031656:Olacaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Acetylsalicyclic acid (PubChem CID: 2244); Morphine (PubChem CID: 5464110); Naloxone (PubChem CID: 5464092)