Antinociceptive effects of a hydroethanolic stem bark extract of Burkea africana

Yakubu Jibira,Eric Boakye-Gyasi,Wonder Kofi Mensah Abotsi,Isaac Kingsley Amponsah,Peter Duah,Frederick Kwadwo Baah,Eric Woode

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08917

Abstract

IntroductionPain is a major symptom of many clinical disorders and its relief has long been a concern for individuals across the globe. There is therefore an unmet need to search for new efficacious agents for the effective management of pain. The stem bark of the savanna tree Burkea africana (Hook) (Family: Leguminosae) is used in the Ghanaian traditional medicine for the treatment and management of various pain-related diseases. MethodAn acute oral toxicity study in mice was conducted by administering BAE (50–5000 mg kg−1p.o.). Antinociceptive effect of BAE (50–1000 mg kg−1p.o.) was evaluated using the acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction, acidic saline-induced muscle pain and formalin-induced pain models. The antinociceptive mechanism of BAE was also assessed using the formalin-induced pain model. ResultsThe LD50 of BAE was thus estimated to be above 5000 mg kg−1 since none of the animals died in the acute toxicity study. Pretreatment with BAE (50–1000 mg kg−1p.o.) significantly reduced the number of writhes after acetic-acid administration compared to the vehicle treated group. BAE also produced a significant and dose-dependent reversal of mechanical hyperalgesia induced by the injection of the acidic saline. Administration of BAE was able to significantly suppress both phases of the formalin test. This effect of the extract was however reversed by pretreatment with naloxone and granisetron. ConclusionsBAE exhibits antinociceptive effects in rodent pain models with a possible involvement of 5-HT3 receptors and opioidergic pathways.

Highlights

IntroductionPain is a major symptom of many clinical disorders and its relief has long been a concern for individuals across the globe
ICR mice (30 Æ 5 g) used in this study were purchased from the Center for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) at MampongAkuapem in the Eastern region Ghana and the Sprague Dawley rats (200 Æ 5 g) were obtained from Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Greater Accra region, Ghana
This is not surprising since there is a previous report on the inhibitory effects of Burkea africana extracts on production of nitric oxide (NO) [31, 32]

Summary

Introduction

Pain is a major symptom of many clinical disorders and its relief has long been a concern for individuals across the globe. Antinociceptive effect of BAE (50–1000 mg kgÀ1 p.o.) was evaluated using the acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction, acidic saline-induced muscle pain and formalin-induced pain models. The antinociceptive mechanism of BAE was assessed using the formalin-induced pain model. Administration of BAE was able to significantly suppress both phases of the formalin test. This effect of the extract was reversed by pretreatment with naloxone and granisetron. Pain is associated with virtually all clinical diseases and is mostly the principal symptom that prompt patients to seek medical attention [1]. It represents a wide clinical and socio-economic problem across all age groups [2]. The pro-nociceptive substances includes serotonin, noradrenaline, histamine, enkephalins, beta-endorphins, dinorphins, acetylcholine, glutamate, Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGR), tachykinins, substance P, bradykinin, prostaglandins (E and F) and lactic acid, Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), Adenosine diphosphate (ADP), potassium ion [4, 5, 6]

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