Acute toxicity, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive investigations of extracts from < em > Ampelocissus africana < /em > (Lour) Merr (Vitaceae) rhizomes

This study focused on pharmacological investigations effects of methanolic and aqueous extracts fromAmpelocissus africana (Lour) Merr rhizomes.The acute toxicity of the extracts fromAmpelocissus africana was performed under OECD 423 guidelines. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluatedin vivo using carrageenan-induced paw edemaof mice at the doses to 50, 100, 200, 400, 600 mg/kg body weight (bw).   The antinociceptive activity of the extracts was determined using acetic acid, formalin nociception models in mice at the doses to 50, 100, 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg bw. The involvement of ATP-sensitive K+ channel pathway and opioid system were tested using glibenclamide, and naloxone respectively at the unique dose (400 mg/kg).No mortality of mice were observed at dose of 2000 mg/kg b.w. The lethal dose (LD50) value estimated to 5000 mg/kg b.w. The tests were showed that the extracts exerted significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory responses in the paw induced by carrageenan (from 37 to 72.90 percent inhibition), antinociceptives in acetic-induced abdominal contractions (from 25.10 to 63.08%), and in formaldehyde-induced paw licking (from 9.27 to 71.77%) tests. The pretreatment with naloxone and glibenclamide did not affect the antinociceptives effects.The results suggested that the extracts from the rhizomes ofAmpelocissus africana possessed anti-inflammatory and antinociception effects in mice. These effects could justify the uses of this plant in traditional medicine. 
Source: International Journal of Phytomedicine - Category: Science Authors: Source Type: research