In-vivo Pharmacological Evaluation of Analgesic Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Doronicum hookeri Clarke Rhizomes in Wistar Rats

A number of plants are used traditionally in different medical conditions by practitioners of traditional medicines but their claim is not yet evaluated scientifically in laboratory animals. Based on the ethnomedical claims made by the Unani health practitioners, the Clarke rhizomes of Doronicum Hookeri was evaluated for analgesics activity in rats to confirm its claim. The successive plant extraction was carried out using Soxhlet apparatus by employing ethanol as a solvent of the dried rhizomes of Doronicum Hookeri. The % yield of extracted compound was 28.27% w/w. The qualitative preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolic content, terpenoids and volatile oils in the rhizomes of ethanolic extract of D. Hookeri. The extract was orally administered in rats at low dose and high dose (200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg) and was evaluated using Eddy’s Hot Plate Method in rats for analgesics activity. Diclofenac sodium (50 mg/kg) and was taken as a standard drug. The maximum possible analgesia % of ethanolic extract of rhizomes of D. Hookeri were found to be highest at a dose of 400mg/kg which showed 68.95% and 80% analgesia at 45 minute and 60 minute which when compared to Diclofenac sodium showed 73.28% and 85.71% at 45 minute and 60 minutes. The analgesic efficacy of ethanolic extract of rhizomes of D. Hookeri showed significant analgesic activity (p<0.04) in dose dependent manner at different time intervals of 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min. This asserts ethnomedical claims of some tribes regarding the analgesic activity of this plant. Keywords - Analgesics, eddy’s hot plate, D. Hookeri, Diclofenac sodium.