Analgesic potential of certain traditional African herbal extracts in high fat diet-manipulated hyperglycaemic rats

Abstract

In this study, an assessment of the analgesic potential of Zea mays L., Nauclea latifolia Sm leaf; leaf and stalk of Manihot esculenta Crantz was made. Pain was induced by 0.6% acetic acid in high fat diet-manipulated,  alloxaninduced hyperglycaemic rats. Paracetamol® (65 mg/kgBW) served as positive control, while olive oil was used as negative control. Test groups were administered ethyl acetate extracts of the traditional African herbal extracts (TAHE) at a dose of 50 mg/kgBW. All interventions were administered as a single dose by oral gavage. Analgesic activity was measured by counting the percentage of writhing movements as a measure of alleviation of visceral pain by each intervention. The results showed that ethyl acetate extract of Zea mays L. and Nauclea latifolia Smith leaf, Manihot esculenta Crantz leaf and stalk had peripheral analgesic activities of 53.27 %, 55.71%, 69.02% and 60.73% respectively as compared to Paracetamol® (57.32%).