Bioactivity Assessment of Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Properties of Eclipta prostrata Extract on Rat Models

Abstract

Medicinal plants have traditionally been used to prevent and treat a range of health concerns. Numerous plant extracts have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. In this study, the alcoholic extract of Eclipta prostrata was assessed for its potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Our investigation is crucial to discovering more effective and safe bioactive substitute to synthetic drugs in treating pain and inflammation.  The analgesic efficacy of the Eclipta prostrata extract was evaluated using the acetic acid-induced writhing test and the tail-flick method. At the same time, its anti-inflammatory activity was determined based on its effect on carrageenan-induced paw edema. Eclipta prostrata extended the reaction time of rats to nociceptive stimuli in a dose-dependent manner. The extract had the most effective anti-inflammatory response when supplied at 600 mg/kg dosage at three and 6-hour intervals, while other dosages yielded no statistically significant results. The extract of Eclipta prostrata mitigated acetic acid-induced paw irritation in rats at a dosage of 900 mg/kg. There were no statistically significant effects on analgesic action at any other dosages except 900 mg/kg. The tail flick technique demonstrated that a 900 mg/kg dosage of the extract was statistically significant (p < 0.05) at both the 3-hour- and 4-hour intervals. According to our findings, the extract of Eclipta prostrata exhibits substantial anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which must be investigated in further research.