Analgesic activity of Lawsonia inermis leaves extract in swiss albino mice

Objective: Lawsonia inermis an important traditional medicinal plant used in various ailments and the indigenous plant as a medicament for treatment of various inflammatory conditions is well documented in literature. The analgesic activity was evaluated by hot-plate and acetic acid induced writhing methods.Methods: The leaves of L. inermis were collected from the local area in and around Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District (India). About 1500 g of the powder was extracted using Soxhlet apparatus for 12 h using 5.0 L of methanol as solvent. The test extracts was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg while morphine sulfate (5 mg/kg) and diclofenac sodium (100 mg/kg) served as standards.Results: All the extract displayed significant analgesic effect (P< 0.05-0.001) in acetic acid and heat induced pain models in a dose dependent manner.Conclusions: The results suggest that all the extracts of L. inermis possesses potent analgesic properties, which support its use in traditional medicine and suggesting that the plant should be further investigated for its pharmacological active natural products.