Evaluation of analgesic activity of the leaves of Passiflora incarnata Linn
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22377/ijgp.v6i1.235Abstract
Passiflora incarnata also known as ‘Passion flower’ is used as an anxiolytic and sedative throughout the world from ancient time.The plant is used as an analgesic, antispasmodic, sedative- hypnotic and narcotic. It is also used in neuralgia, epilepsy, insomnia, ulcers, haemorrhoids and neurosis in many parts of the world. There was no report on analgesic activity of P. incarnata. Hence, the present study is designed to assess analgesic activity of leaves of P. incarnata using sodium chloride-induced eye wiping test and formalin test. In formalin test, n-butanol extract of leaves of P. incarnata (BEPI) in the doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg as well as BEPI-F1 showed significant reduction in duration of paw licking in neurogenic and inflammatory phase(P<0.001). Pretreatment with naloxone
reversed the analgesia induced by BEPI, while atropine did not reverse the analgesia induced by BEPI significantly (P≤0.001). In eye wiping test, BEPI in the doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg, i.p. exerted significant reduction (P≤0.001) in number of eye wipes compared to control group. Thus, the result concludes that BEPI and the fraction separated, BEPI–F1 has significant analgesic activity, which may be mediated through central mechanism by modulation of opioid receptors and nicotinic receptors.
Key words: Analgesic activity, eye wiping test, Passiflora incarnata, trigeminal neuralgia
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