EVALUATION OF ANALGESIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF FICUS ITEOPHYLLA LEAVES IN RODENTS

This study was undertaken to investigate the leaf part of the plant for analgesic and anti-inflammatory. The ethanol extract of Ficus iteophylla leaves (100, 200, and 400mgkg(-1), i.p) was evaluated for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. The analgesic effect was studied using acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction and hot plate test in mice, while the anti-inflammatory effect was investigated using carrageenan induced paw oedema in rats. The ethanol extract at 100mgkg(-1), 200mgkg(-1), and 400mgkg(-1) significantly (P<0.05) inhibited acetic acid induced writhes by 1.50 +/- 0.43, 3.0 +/- 0.82 and 1.0 +/- 0.82 respectively. It also exhibited significantly (P<0.05) anti-inflammatory by 0.11 +/- 0.02, 0.11 +/- 0.03, 0.08 +/- 0.01 respectively. The preliminary phytochemical screening of the plant extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, steroids, tannins and saponins while the effect of flavonoids, steroids and tannins on analgesic and inflammatory has been reported. The intraperitoneal median lethal dose (LD50) value of the extract was found to be 3807.8 mgkg(-1) body weights. The result obtained from this study shows that the extract of Ficus iteophylla contained phytochemical constituents with analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities, therefore the leaf part of the plant could be used in the management of pain and inflammatory conditions.