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Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the ethanolic extracts of Alkanna frigida and Alkanna orientalis

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Abstract

Alkanna species are used in Iranian traditional medicine for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of Alkanna frigida and Alkanna orientalis ethanolic extracts via the carrageenan-induced paw edema test and formalin test in rat and mouse, respectively. Ethanolic extracts of plant root were prepared and were injected intraperitoneally 60 min before carrageenan-induced inflammation or formalin-induced nociception at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg. Anti-inflammatory effects of plants were monitored for 3 h after carrageenan injection and anti-nociceptive effects were evaluated during the first hour after formalin injection. Diclofenac, a well-known anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive agent, was used as a positive control. Our results show that, in contrast to Alkanna orientalis, ethanolic extract of Alkanna frigida significantly decreases carrageenan-induced inflammation at 400 mg/kg, especially 3 h after inflammation induction. Both Alkanna frigida and Alkanna orientalis ethanolic extracts possess a remarkable anti-nociceptive effect at each dose (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) in a dose-dependent manner during the first hour after formalin injection.

The present findings provide more evidence for the potential anti-nociceptive effect of Alkanna sp. and the anti-inflammatory effect of Alkanna frigida. It supports their traditional indication in the treatment of pain and inflammatory-related diseases. These useful effects may result from the inhibitory interaction of the plant ethanolic extract with cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme and the subsequent reduction in prostaglandin production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    H. Monsef Esfahani, Z. Navvab Esfahani & N. Khosravi Dehaghi

  2. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14155-6451, Tehran, Iran

    A. Hosseini-Sharifabad, K. Tabrizian, M. Parsa & Seyed Nasser Ostad

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  1. H. Monsef Esfahani
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  2. Z. Navvab Esfahani
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  3. N. Khosravi Dehaghi
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  4. A. Hosseini-Sharifabad
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  5. K. Tabrizian
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  6. M. Parsa
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  7. Seyed Nasser Ostad
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Correspondence to Seyed Nasser Ostad.

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Esfahani, H.M., Esfahani, Z.N., Dehaghi, N.K. et al. Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the ethanolic extracts of Alkanna frigida and Alkanna orientalis . J Nat Med 66, 447–452 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0603-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0603-1

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