Abstract:
The present study was carried out to establish the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of Melastoma malabathricum leaves chloroform extract in experimental animals. The antinociceptive activity was measured using the abdominal constriction, hot plate and formalin tests, while the anti-inflammatory was measured using the carrageenan-induced paw edema. The extract, obtained after 72 h soaking of the air-dried leaves in chloroform followed by evaporation under vacuo (40°C) to dryness (4.38 g), was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide to the doses of 20, 100 and 200% and administered subcutaneously 30 min prior to subjection to the above mentioned assays. The extract, at all concentration used, was found to exhibit significant (p<0.05) antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. Only the effect observed with the formalin test occurred in a concentration-dependent manner. It is concluded that the lipid-soluble compounds within the chloroform extract of M. malabathricum leaves possess potential antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory agents that require further attention.
Z.A. Zakaria, R.N.S. Raden Mohd Nor, M.R. Sulaiman, Z.D.F. Abdul Ghani, G. Hanan Kumar and C.A. Fatimah, 2006. Antinociceptive and Anti-inflammatory Properties of Melastoma malabathricum Leaves Chloroform Extract in Experimental Animals. Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 1: 337-345.
Subscribe Today 
