Abstract
Pain is one of the most common symptoms encountered in the medical practice. None of the management procedures used currently offer a complete relief for patients suffering from nociceptive pain. New treatment strategies for pain management are needed. Propolis has been used in traditional medicine to relieve various types of pain. The aim of the current study was to investigate the potential effects of the green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract in vivo on the nociceptive and inflammatory pain models in rats. Rats were distributed into three random groups (n = 6); Group I: control group received normal saline intraperitoneally (i.p.); Group II: treated with green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract (P50 mg/kg i.p.); Group III: treated with P100 mg/kg i.p. After sixty minutes, 50 μL of 5% formalin was injected subcutaneously into the dorsal surface of the right hind paw. The nociceptive response was identified by counting the number of flinches of the injected paw. The number of flinches was counted for the period of 0–5 min (early phase; neurogenic) and 10–60 min (late phase; inflammatory). Thermal hyperalgesia was assessed using three-paw withdrawal latency measurement with ten minutes intervals using a planter analgesic meter. Abdominal writhe (contraction) was induced by i.p. injection of acetic acid (1 mL of 2%). The results showed that green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract caused a significant inhibition of acetic acid-induced pain and significantly increased the pain threshold against infrared and formalin tests. The promising antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of propolis and/or its active constituents as natural compounds in the present study indicates that it merits further studies in pain.
Highlights
Pain is an uncomfortable feeling that involves motivational, cognitive and affective aspects, and sometimes act as an alarm to minimize the contact with harmful agents [1]
The results showed that green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract caused a significant inhibition of acetic acid-induced pain and significantly increased the pain threshold against infrared and formalin tests
This study evaluated the effects of the green Brazilian propolis alcohol extract, using several well-established in vivo nociception assays with different pain stimuli in rats
Summary
Pain is an uncomfortable feeling that involves motivational, cognitive and affective aspects, and sometimes act as an alarm to minimize the contact with harmful agents [1]. Pain is initiated by nociceptors (specialized peripheral sensory neurons) that are activated by noxious stimuli (i.e., chemical, mechanical and thermal stimuli) due to tissue damage and/or injury. These nociceptors are usually found in the muscle, cutaneous tissues, connective tissues, vessels, viscera and bone [2]. Natural products have played an essential role in the discovery of analgesic drugs [5]. In the last three decades the interest in natural products has greatly increased which has been led by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO recently published a document entitled “WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014–2023”, in which it endorsed and supported the development and implementation of action plans to strengthen the role traditional medicines in public health [6]
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