title: Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the aerial parts of Artemisia dracunculus in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L., Asteraceae) is an ancient herb, which is widely used as a medicine, flavoring, or fragrance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of aerial parts of tarragon, we investigated the effects of ethanolic extract of the plant in adult male Balb/c mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antinociceptive activity was determined using formalin, hot-plate, and writhing tests. The effect of the ethanolic extract on acute inflammation was evaluated by xylene-induced ear edema in mice. The ethanolic extract was administered at doses of 5, 10, 50, and 100 mg/kg, i.p. The control group received saline as vehicle of ethanolic extract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that the ethanolic extract (50 and 100 mg/kg) decreased both phases of pain in the formalin test (ED50 = 109.66 and 87.13 mg/kg, respectively). In the hot-plate test, the extract (50 and 100 mg/kg) increased pain threshold during 60 min (ED50 = 81.03 mg/kg). The extract (50 and 100 mg/kg) exhibited antinociceptive activity against acetic acid-induced writhing (ED50 = 66.99 mg/kg). The extract (50 and 100 mg/kg) showed significant activity in the xylene ear edema test (ED50 = 78.20 mg/kg). Pretreatment of the animals with naloxone decreased the analgesia induced by the extract in hot-plate and formalin tests; therefore, opioid receptors may be involved, at least partly, in the analgesic effect of tarragon extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that tarragon have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice, and, therefore, further studies are required to evaluate these effects and additional potential of the plant.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch , Islamic Azad University , Tehran , Iran .
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eidi
authors.affiliation: b Biological Science Faculty, Kharazmi University , Tehran , Iran , and.
authors.forename: Shahrbanoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oryan
authors.affiliation: c Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zaringhalam
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch , Islamic Azad University , Tehran , Iran .
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rad
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019306:Artemisia; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000379:methods; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Analgesia; inflammation; tarragon