An in vivo study of the pharmacological activities of a methanolic acetate fraction of L.: An ethno-medicinal plant used in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND

The present study covered an assessment of methanolic acetate fractions of , commonly known as water lettuce, for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and CNS depressant activities.

METHODS

The methanol acetate fractions were extracted from and administered to the experimental animals as 200 and 400 mg/kg doses to determine the effect on acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin-induced licking and biting, for the assessment of analgesic activity. The anti-inflammatory assay was done using the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema method, while assessment of CNS depressant activity was done using the open field and hole cross tests. The effects were compared to standard reference drugs.

RESULTS

At both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight), the methanolic acetate extract of showed significant analgesic action (<0.05) against acetic acid-induced writhing. The extract was also found to give significant protection against licking and biting at both doses. The methanolic acetate extract of showed a significant (<0.05) anti-inflammatory effect from 0 minutes up to 3 hours in the carrageenan-induced paw edema test. In the CNS depressant assay, the methanolic acetate extract showed significant (<0.05) depressant activity at both doses from 30 to 120 minutes in both the hole cross and open field tests.

CONCLUSION

Thus we can conclude that extracts have significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and CNS depressant activity, compared to standard compounds, in an animal model.