Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory and CNS Depressant Activities of the Methanolic Extract of Abelmoschus esculentus Linn. Seed in Mice

Abstract

Aims: The study was carried out to assess the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and CNS depressant activity of the methanolic extract of Abelmoschus esculentus Linn. Seeds. Study Design: The Present study was designed to observe pharmacological activities of the crude extract of the plant Abelmoschus esculentus seeds. The study consisted of hot extraction of the seeds of the A. esculantus with methanol. Afterwards, Methanolic crude extract was filtered and the filtrate was evaporated. Finally, screening of analgesic, anti-inflammatory and CNS depressant activity of crude extracts of A. esculantus on Swiss Albino mice. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh. January, 2013- July 2013. Methodology: The animals are divided into Four groups and each group consists of five mice. Analgesic activity was performed by acetic acid-induced writhing model and formalin induced licking and biting in mice. Anti-inflammatory effects of Abelmoschus esculentus seed extract were done by carrageenan induced anti-inflammatory method at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg b.wt., (p.o). The CNS depressant activity was evaluated by observing the reduction of locomotor and exploratory activities in the hole cross and opens field tests at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight. Results: In statistical analysis, the dose (200 mg/kg) was found to exhibit (significant p=0.05) better analgesic activity (65.16% and 54.38%) against both acetic acid and formalin induced pain in mice which is about similar to standard drug Indomethacin. The extract of A. esculentus (100 and 200mg/kg) also showed sustained inhibition (54.97% and 65.56%) of paw edema at the 4th hour compared to Indomethacin (74.17%). Besides this A. esculentus (significant p=0.05) seed extract (100 and 200mg/kg p.o.) also possesses depressant activity at 90min in both methods. Conclusion: this study recommends that the methanolic extract of the Abelmoschus esculentus seeds has significant CNS depressant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.