Studies on the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of Parquetina nigrescens leaf extract

Ethnopharmacological relevanceParquetina nigrescens is a shrub that is commonly used in different parts of West Africa for the treatment of several ailments which includes pain, fever and inflammatory conditions.Aim of the studyThe present study was designed to investigate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of the aqueous extract of Parquetina nigrescens leaves in rats.Materials and methodsFive groups were used for each study, groups 1 and 5 served as control (saline) and reference (indomethacine) respectively, while groups 2–4 received the extract (50–200 mg/kg) orally. Formalin paw licking and hot plate latency tests were used for analgesic studies. Carrageenan oedema, cotton pellet granuloma and formaldehyde arthritis models were used to quantify the anti-inflammatory activities while the brewer’s yeast was used for inducing pyrexia.ResultsThe results of the analgesic study show that the extract produced significant (p < 0.05) analgesia in the hot plate and in the formalin tests. In the anti-inflammatory study, Parquetina nigrescens produced significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of the various types of inflammation. The extract also inhibited the pyrexia induced by brewer’s yeast.ConclusionThe result justifies the traditional uses of Parquetina nigrescens for the treatment of fever, inflammatory and painful conditions.