ANTINOCICEPTIVE AND ANTIINFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF SAMBUCUS-EBULUS RHIZOME EXTRACT IN RATS

In this study we used the chronic (formalin test) and acute (tail flic k) pain models of rats for evaluation of probable analgesic and anti-i nflammatory effect of Sambucus ebulus (Se) rhizome extract. Sodium sal icylate (SS) was used as a positive control. A total of 300 mg/kg of S S (i.p.) had no effect on tail flick latency, while 100 and 200 mg/kg i.p. of extract increased this latency (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respec tively). In formalin test, SS (300 mg/kg i.p.) and extract (100 mg/kg i.p.) alleviated the animals' nociception in the second phases, while in the first phase, only the extract caused an anti nociceptive effect (P < 0.05). A total of 200 mg/kg of the extract showed a significant effect on both phases (P < 0.001), which was not reversed by naloxone (2 mg/kg i.p.). On the other hand in the acute anti-inflammatory test, the plant extract (200 mg/kg i.p.) showed a significant effect, (e.g. SS P < 0.01) and was not reversed by naloxone (2 mg/kg i.p.).Therefor e, it seems that the mechanism of the antinociceptive and anti-inflamm atory actions of extract are not related to the opioid system, of cour se the comparison of chronic administration of SS and Se showed a rapi d onset of action for Se rather than SS, and because of its effect on tail flick latency and both phases of formalin test, the site of its a nalgesic action is probably central. Our phytochemical studies indicat e that methanol extract of plant rhizome contains flavonoids, steroids , glycosides and tannins. The LD50 of the extract was 600 mg/kg. (C) 1 998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.