Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities of Pentaclethra macrophylla aqueous extracts in mice

Abstract

The aqueous leaf, stem – bark, seed and fruit pericarp extracts of Pentaclethra macrophylla were examined for their cytotoxicity, while only the leaves and seeds were tested for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities using in-vivo and in-vitro experimental models. Cytotoxicity haemagglutination assay revealed the following order of toxicity among the plant parts: fruit pericarp > stem - bark > seed > leaf with 71.4, 25.6, 5.3, and 0.5 haemagglutination titre values respectively. The extracts at 30 and 60 mg/kg exhibited analgesic activity and anti-inflammatory property using the flick and hot plate tests, acetic acid induced writhing test; and leucocyte counts, pulmonary oedema and oedema paw of mice in a dose-dependent manner. These findings therefore explain and justify ethnomedical uses of Pentaclethra macrophylla in the treatment of itching (inflammatory response) and pain in animals and in man.

Keywords: Pentaclethra macrophylla, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, toxicity activities

African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines Vol. 3(1) 2006: 44-53