Abstract
Purpose: The remains unknown, To determine the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Scrophularia megalantha in male rats in order to understand the scientific basis for its trado-medicinal uses, especially in inflammation.Methods: The extract of Scrophularia megalantha was obtained with ethanol. In order to determine qualitatively the chemical components of the extract, thin layer chromatography (TLC) was used. The analgesic activity of the extract at various doses (25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p) was assessed using formalin test while pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Diclofenac (5 mg/kg) was used as positive control.Results: Phenolic compounds, flavonoids and phenyl propanoid were present in the extract. At doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, the extract showed significant analgesic effects (p < 0.05, p< 0.01) in the first phases of formalin test, compared with the control. At 25, 100 and 200 mg/kg doses, the extract reduced significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.001) pain score in the chronic phases of the formalin test. In addition, at 50 - 200 μg/mL of the extractm both TNF-α and IL-6 proinflammatory cytokines were inhibited significantly (p < 0.001) on LPS-stimulated macrophages.Conclusion: The extract of S. megalantha exerts analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities by inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines production. This lends support for the use of the plant as an analgesic in traditional medicine.Keywords: Scrophularia megalantha, Analgesic, Inflammation, Pro-inflammatory cytokines, Phenolics,Flavonoids
Highlights
Chronic pain is the most common symptom that brings a patient to the physician
The over-production of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1 by activated macrophages is a crucial event for triggering progressive stimulation of immune cells [6]
Phytochemical assay by thin layer chromatography showed the presence of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and phenyl propanoids in S. megalantha extract
Summary
Available analgesic drugs such as opiates and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) are not fully accepted due to their adverse effects. Inflammation plays role in the mechanism of pain. It can decrease pain threshold, increase nociceptive neuron firing rate and facilitate pain transmission; these processes can augment pain [3,4]. A variety of innate immune cells such macrophages can be activated. Cytokine production is a primary step of the reaction of macrophages to inflammatory stimuli [5]. The over-production of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1 by activated macrophages is a crucial event for triggering progressive stimulation of immune cells [6]
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