Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activity of Methanolic and Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of Myrsine africana L. Fruits

Myrsine africana L. (Family Myrsinaceae) commonly known as mirting, is an evergreen shrub found wildly in tropical Asia to Africa. The plant has been traditionally used to treat various diseases and extensively used in folk medicine. The reported literature reveals that there is no pharmacological activities carried out on the fruits of M. africana in order to validate its traditional claim. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of methanolic and hydro-alcoholic extracts of fruits of M. africana at a dose level of 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg. The safety of drug was evaluated by sub-acute toxicity study as per OECD guidelines. The anti-inflammatory activity was carried out by carrageenan induced paw edema model and analgesic activity was done by hot plate, tail flick and acetic acid induced writhing methods. The maximum per cent inhibition of paw edema was found to be 57% in hydro-alcoholic extract at a dose level of 500 mg/kg in carrageenan induced paw edema model as compared to the standard drug ibuprofen (74.6%). The average response time at the dose of 500 mg/kg in tail flick and hot plate models was found to be 6.6 +/- 0.79 mins and 6.89 +/- 0.17 mins (at 120 mins and 90 mins) respectively which is comparable with the standard drug. In acetic acid writhing test both the extracts showed significant reduction in writhes as compared to standard. The pharmacological activities were found to be dose dependent. The acute toxicity study confirmed the drug to be non-toxic and safe. So it has been observed that the fruit of M. africana has marked beneficial effects against centrally and peripherally inflammation models and can be used to treat various disorders associated with inflammation.