Scientific investigation of crude alkaloids from medicinal plants for the management of pain.
BACKGROUND
Tissue damage is associated with pain, which is an alarming sign. Aspirin and morphine have been widely used in recent decades for management of pain. Medicinal herbs have been in use for treatment of different diseases for centuries. Many of these herbs possess analgesic activity with relatively less incidences of adverse effects. The strong positive correlation of alkaloids in medicinal plants for analgesic activity persuades an intention to determine possible analgesic activity of total alkaloids extracted from the selected medicinal plants using animal models to answer its possible mechanisms.


METHODS
Crude alkaloids from selected medicinal plants (Woodfordia fruticosa, Adhatoda vasica, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Vitex negundo, Peganum harmala and Broussonetia papyrifera) were extracted as per reported literature. The test crude alkaloids were screened foracute toxicity study. Writhings induced by acetic acid, tail immersion method and formalin-induced nociception assay procedures were used for possible analgesic effects of the crude alkaloids.


RESULTS
Crude alkaloids were safe up to dose of 1250 mg/kg body weight in mice. The alkaloids significantly reduced the abdominal constrictions, and increased the time for paw licking response in both phases with a significant raise in latency time in nociception models (P ≤ 0.05). Moreover, the antinociceptive response was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with naloxone suggesting involvement of the opioid receptors for possible antinociceptive action.


CONCLUSIONS
Crude alkaloids of Woodfordia fruticosa and Peganum harmala showed prominent analgesic potentials through inhibition of peripheral as well as central nervous system mechanisms. Further work is required for isolation of the pharmacologically active constituents.
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. mohammadshoaib13@yahoo.com.
Mohammad
M
Shoaib
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Syed Wadood Ali
SW
Shah
Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Niaz
N
Ali
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Ismail
I
Shah
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Shafi
S
Ullah
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Mehreen
M
Ghias
Department of Physics, University of Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan.
Muhammad Nawaz
MN
Tahir
Pharmacology Section, PCSIR Laboratories Complex, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Farah
F
Gul
Department of Statistics, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Sohail
S
Akhtar
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Abd
A
Ullah
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Wajid
W
Akbar
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Asad
A
Ullah
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D059408:Pain Management; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
D000470:Alkaloids; D000700:Analgesics; D010936:Plant Extracts
Crude alkaloids; Naloxone; Opioid; Pain; Peganum harmala; Traditional uses; Woodfordia fruticosa