Evaluation of anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of solvent fraction of the roots of Echinops kebericho Mesfin (Asteraceae) in mice model.

Objective: The present study was aimed at investigating the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the solvent fractions of the roots of Echinops kebericho Mesfin in rodent models of pain and inflammation.

Methods: Successive maceration was used as a method of extraction using solvents of increasing polarity: methanol and water. Ethyl acetate, chloroform and distilled water were used as solvents of the fraction process. Swiss albino mice models were used in acetic acid induced writhing, hot plate, carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma to assess the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. The test groups received different doses (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) of the three fractions (chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous). The positive control groups received ASA (150 mg/kg) for the writing test, morphine (10 mg/kg) for the hot plate method, diclofenac Na for carrageenan-induced paw edema, and dexamethasone (10 mg/kg) for granuloma, while the negative control group received distilled water.

Results: EA fraction at all test doses employed (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg) showed statistically significant (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001 respectively) analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities in a dose-dependent manner. The AQ fraction on the other hand produced statistically significant (p<0.05, p<0.012) analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities at the doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, while the CH fraction exhibited statistically significant (p<0.05) analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity at the dose of 400 mg/kg.

Conclusions: In general, the data obtained from the present study elucidated that the solvent fractions of the study plant possessed significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities and were recommended for further investigations.