An Investigation of the Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Nigella sativa Seed Polyphenols

Abstract

Extracts obtained from the seeds of Nigella sativa are used as a spice or remedy for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of its polyphenols. N. sativa seed polyphenols were prepared, and analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects were studied in mice and rats using the acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin, light tail flick, carrageenan-induced paw edema, and croton oil-induced ear edema tests. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, oral administration of N. sativa polyphenols (NSP) decreased the number of abdominal constrictions. Both oral and intraperitoneal administration of NSP significantly suppressed in a dose-dependent manner the nociceptive response in the early and late phases of the formalin test, and the effect on the late phase was more pronounced. Pretreatment with naloxone failed to reverse the analgesic activity of NSP in this test. NSP did not produce a significant analgesia in the light tail flick test in mice. Oral administration of NSP did not produce a significant reduction in carrageenan-induced paw edema. However, when injected intraperitoneally, NSP inhibited paw edema in a dosedependent manner. NSP when applied topically failed to reduce croton oil-induced ear edema. These results suggest that NSP have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. The lack of analgesic effect of NSP in the light tail flick test and also the failure of naloxone to reverse the analgesia in the formalin test reveal that mechanisms other than stimulation of opioid receptors are involved.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the aqueous extracts of Margaritaria discoidea (Euphorbiaceae) stem bark in experimental animal models

“…Formalin test is believed to be a more valid analgesic model which is better correlated with clinical pain (Tjolsen et al 1992, Ghannadi et al 2005. In this study, the extract caused a dose-dependent decrease in licking time and licking frequency by the rats injected with formalin signifying the analgesic effect of the extract.…”

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of Nigella sativa: An experimental study

“…Some studies have been conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of N. sativa and results are encouraging. [6,7,[13][14][15] However, few studies have been conducted in subacute and chronic model of inflammation. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate its anti-inflammatory activity in an acute, subacute and chronic model of inflammation.…”

“…[5] Some studies conducted earlier have reported that it do possess significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. [6,7] Even though substantial work has been carried out to ascertain its anti-nociceptive effects, very little has been done to explore its anti-inflammatory effect on subacute and chronic models of inflammation. Hence, we considered it is worthwhile to know whether it has anti-inflammatory activity in a various model of inflammation.…”

Comparative Evaluation of Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory and Antipyretic Effects of Synthetic Derivatives of Organoantimony (?) Ferocenyl Benzoate with Piroxicam

“…The potential effect of test compounds observed on the first and second phase of formalin-induced paw licking test have suggested that this effect may be because of its central action (Ghannadi et al, 2005).…”