Potential of Analgesic and Anti Inflammatory Activity of Withania somnifera Linn. Leaves

Abstract

Medicinal plants to prevent and treat illnesses have been a part of herbal medicine for thousands of years. This study aimed to test the pain-relieving and inflammation-reducing effects of Withania somnifera (genus: Withania, family: Solanaceae) leaf extract using well-known rat models. Research on Withania somnifera has demonstrated that its active ingredients confer analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Withanolide, one of the plant's primary active chemical ingredients, drives its vast spectrum of biological activities. Numerous formulations for various illnesses, including cancer, neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, arthritis, dementia, hypertension, anxiety, and more, contain withanoides as a component. Significant polyphenolic chemicals found in the plant helped lessen the paw edema caused by carrageenan. The anti-inflammatory effect was assessed using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model.On the other hand, we determined the analgesic efficacy using the tail-flick method and the acetic acid-induced writhing test. The 600 mg/kg and 900 mg/kg dosages had statistically significant anti-inflammatory effects (p < 0.05). In pain relief studies, a dose of 900 mg/kg showed a significant reduction in pain (p<0.05) based on the writhing test, meaning it reduced pain by 10.66%. However, the analgesic effects of the 900 mg/kg dosage were statistically significant (p<0.05). The primary bioactive chemicals found in the plant are withanolides A, withaferin A, withasomniferin A, withasomnidienone, withasomnierose A-C, and withanone, among others. The results support the traditional use of Withania somnifera in pain and inflammation treatment and are consistent with previous studies.