An Investigation of Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Bixa orellana Linn. Leaves

Abstract

Herbal medicine, the application of medicinal plants for the prevention and treatment of ailments, is grounded in millennia of history. This study sought to assess the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Bixa orellana leaf extract utilizing known rat models. The carrageenan-induced paw edema model was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity. In contrast, the acetic acid-induced writhing test and the tail flick method were performed to ascertain analgesic efficiency. Rats received 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg of the Bixa orellana extract. In the anti-inflammatory experiment, only the 750 mg/kg dosage yielded statistically significant anti-inflammatory effects (p < 0.05), whilst other dosages had no significant influence. All groups exhibited decreased writhing responses in the acetic acid writhing test; however, none were statistically significant relative to the control group. The tail-flick test, however, had a distinct analgesic effect at elevated doses. The 750 mg/kg dosage demonstrated substantial analgesic effects at 3 and 4 hours (p < 0.05), with significance attained specifically at the 4-hour interval. These findings substantiate the conventional application of Bixa orellana in alleviating pain and inflammation, presumably attributable to its elevated concentrations of flavonoids, alkaloids, and saponins. The findings align with prior research and reinforce the conventional application of Bixa orellana in pain and inflammation therapy. Despite being dose-and-time-dependent, the findings indicate the significant medicinal potential of this herb.