Study of antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of certain Iranian medicinal plants

Aim: Four medicinal plants of Trigonella foenum-graecum, Zhumeria majdae, Achillea wilhelsii and Viola tricolor are traditionally used in Iran as analgesic and for treatment of inflammatory disorders. At the present atudy, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of these plants have been studied. Methods: The antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of methanol extracts of tested plants were evaluated using hot-plate and carrageenan-induced edema methods respectively. The plant extracts were studied by i.p administration at three doses of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg. Results: In the hot-plate test, the extracts of T. foeunm-graecum (100 mg/kg) and Z. majdae (200 and 400m g/kg) significantly increased the tolerance to pain in female albino mice in comparison to control. The administration of T. foenum-graecum at doses of 100 and 200mg/kg and V. tricolor (400mg/kg) significantly reduced the paw edema in male rat which measured in all the times of observation after carrageenan administration in comparison to control and reference (Ibuprofen, 400mg/kg). Conclusions: The present work comparatively demonstrated considerable antinociceptive and anti inflammatory effect of all of the tested plants especially T. foeunm-graecum. The results here confirm traditional uses of T. foeunm-graecum both as analgesic or anti inflammatory agents. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2012; 1(1.000): 19-24]