In Vivo Biological Investigation of Methanolic Extract of Thymus linearis Whole Plant

Abstract

Background and purpose: For treatment of pain, pyrexia and inflammation, medicinal plants have exhibited enormous capability. Medicinal plants are used as anti-pyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents having low gastro intestinal tract disturbing adverse effects. In order to tackle and assure the antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory response of herbs, scientific backdrop is mandatory. Experimental approach: Abdominal writhing was introduced to experimental mice by intra peritoneal injection (i.p) of 1% acetic acid. Pain is induced thermally by observance the mice on hotplate having temperature around 50°C. For antipyretic activity, pyrexia was induced by 20 ml/kg body weight (b.w) i.p brewer′s yeast injection. Anti-inflammatory activity was examined in mice by Carrageenan. Thymus linearis methanolic extract (TLME) was used at test doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b. w i.p in mice. Key results: TLME showed reduced writhing in acetic acid method with dose of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b. w by 54.00 ± 1.15, 44.00 ± 1.15 and 32.66 ± 0.66 in comparison of control i.e. 66.66 ± 1.76. The latency times in hotplate method was significantly increased from 13.95% to 21.22% at dose of 100 to 300 mg/kg. Antipyretic effect of TLME exhibited 39.70 ± 0.01 protections at 300 mg/kg after 2 h as similar to standard drug Paracetamol 38.57 ± 0.06. Anti-inflammatory effect of TLME was significantly observed by 36.66% and 35.29% respectively at dose of 300 mg/kg. Conclusion and implications: Results of TLME showed that it can be used to treat pyrexia, pain and inflammation. This investigation actively reinforced the ethno pharmacological uses of T. linearis as analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent.