Ameliorative potential of Ocimum sanctum in chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the ameliorative potential of Ocimum sanctum and its saponin rich fraction in chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats. The chronic constriction injury was induced by placing four loose ligatures around the sciatic nerve, proximal to its trifurcation. The mechanical hyperalgesia, cold allodynia, paw heat hyperalgesia and cold tail hyperalgesia were assessed by performing the pinprick, acetone, hot plate and cold tail immersion tests, respectively. Biochemically, the tissue thio-barbituric acid reactive species, super-oxide anion content (markers of oxidative stress) and total calcium levels were measured. Chronic constriction injury was associated with the development of mechanical hyperalgesia, cold allodynia, heat and cold hyperalgesia along with an increase in oxidative stress and calcium levels. However, administration of Ocimum sanctum (100 and 200 mg/kg p.o.) and its saponin rich fraction (100 and 200 mg/kg p.o.) for 14 days significantly attenuated chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain as well as decrease the oxidative stress and calcium levels. It may be concluded that saponin rich fraction of Ocimum sanctum has ameliorative potential in attenuating painful neuropathic state, which may be attributed to a decrease in oxidative stress and calcium levels.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Ultra-diluted Toxicodendron pubescens attenuates pro-inflammatory cytokines and ROS- mediated neuropathic pain in rats

“…CCI-induced neuropathic pain in rats represents characteristic painful behaviors like hyperalgesia and allodynia, thus validating its suitability for the evaluation of anti-neuropathic drugs 29 – 31 . In this model, the neuropathic pain is caused by a primary lesion and dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system 3 , 14 . RT ultra-dilutions have been consistently proved to possess analgesic, anti-inflammatory 22 and immunomodulatory 21 activities in the experimental models.…”

Medicinal Plants of the Family Lamiaceae in Pain Therapy: A Review

“…or 200 mg/kg b.w. of O. sanctum to rats that underwent chronic constriction injury in the sciatic nerve and found that the extract alleviated cold-induced hyperalgesia, mechanical allodynia, and paw-heat hyperalgesia [ 196 ]. In another study, a 200 mg/kg b.w.…”

Ocimum gratissimum Essential Oil and Its Isolated Compounds (Eugenol and Myrcene) Reduce Neuropathic Pain in Mice

“…The results demonstrated that mice treated with the doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg for 14 days showed greater resistance to paw pressure when compared with animals treated with the same doses for seven days, indicating that the longer the treatment time, the greater the effect. A recent study showed that treatment with another plant that belongs to the same genus (O. sanctum) also demonstrated a time-dependent antihypernociceptive effect [24]. Furthermore, it is known that the CCI model generates an inflammatory process, with increased levels of proinflammatory substances.…”