ANTINOCICEPTIVE AND ANTIINFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF SOME JORDANIAN MEDICINAL PLANT-EXTRACTS

The anti-nociceptive effect of ethanolic extract of 11 traditionally u sed Jordanian plants was studied by using the acetic acid-induced writ hing and hot-plate test in mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of these plants was determined by xylene-induced ear oedema in mice and cotton pellet granuloma test in rats. Mentha piperita, Cinnamomum zeylanicum , Apium graveolens, Eucalyptus camaldulentis, and Ruta graveolens poss ess an anti-nociceptive effect against both acetic acid-induced writhi ng and hot plate-induced thermal stimulation. M. piperita, Jasminum of ficinale, Commiphora molmol, and Beta vulgaris possess an anti-inflamm atory effect against acute (xylene-induced ear oedema) and chronic (co tton-pellet granuloma) inflammation. The anti-nociceptive and anti-inf lammatory effects were dose dependent. These data affirm the tradition al use of some of these plants for painful and inflammatory conditions . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.