Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory activities of Lagenaria siceraria Stand. fruit juice extract in rats and mice

Present work was undergone to investigate analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Stand. fruit juice extract (LSFJE) in rats and mice. LSFJE was studied for its analgesic effect on acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin pain tests in mice. The anti-inflammatory effects were investigated employing the acute inflammatory models, i.e. ethyl phenylpropionate-induced ear edema, carrageenin- and arachidonic acid-induced hind paw edema, and also the albumin-induced paw edema in rats. LSFJE was also studied for its preliminary phytochemical screening and acute toxicity studies. LSFJE (150-300 mg/kg, p.o.) exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of writhing and also showed a significant (P<0.001) inhibition of both phases of the formalin pain test, but with a less intense effect on the first than on the second phase. The effects of the extract were significantly (P<0.01) lower than those produced by morphine (10 mg/kg) and aspirin (300 mg/kg) in the same tests. LSFJE elicited significant (P<0.05) inhibitory effect on the ear edema formation at 30 min, 1 h and 2h after EPP-injection. In other acute inflammatory models, the extract significantly inhibited carrageenin- and arachidonic acid-induced hind paw edema. LSFJE also caused inhibition of albumin-induced paw edema over a period of 90 min. The extract did not produce mortality in dose up to 4.2 g/kg, p.o. and 0.29 g/kg, i.p. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, cucurbitacin, saponins, proteins, and carbohydrates. The results obtained suggest marked analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of the LSFJE. The results support the traditional use of this plant in some painful and inflammatory conditions.