@article {738, title = {Anti-allodynic and Anti-hyperalgesic Effects of an Ethanolic Extract and Xylopic Acid from the Fruits of Xylopia aethiopica in Murine Models of Neuropathic Pain}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {6}, year = {2014}, month = {March,2014}, pages = {172-179}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {172}, abstract = {

Background: Fruit extracts of Xylopia aethiopica are used traditionally in the management of pain disorders including headache and neuralgia. An animal model of vincristine-induced sensory neuropathy was developed after repeated intraperitoneal injection in rats and used in the present work to study the effects of the ethanolic extract of X. aethiopica (XAE) and its diterpene xylopic acid (XA) in vincristine-induced neuropathic pain. Materials and Methods: Vincristine (0.1 mg kg -1 day -1 ) was administered during two cycles of five consecutive days to induce chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain. Static tactile anti-allodynic, anti-hyperalgesic, and cold anti-allodynic effects of XAE (30-300 mg kg -1 ) and XA (10-100 mg kg -1 ) were assessed using Von Frey filaments of bending forces of 4, 8, and 15 g, the Randall-Selitto paw pressure test, and cold water (4.5{\textdegree}C), respectively. Results: Administration of vincristine caused the development of allodynia and hyperalgesia with no significant motor deficit, spontaneous pain, and foot deformity. XAE (30-300 mg kg -1 ) and XA (10-100 mg kg -1 ) exhibited anti-hyperalgesic, tactile, and cold anti-allodynic properties with XA exhibiting greater potency than XAE. Pregabalin (10-100 mg kg -1 ) used as control produced similar effect. Conclusion: These findings establish the anti-allodynic and anti-hyperalgesic effects of the ethanolic fruit XAE and its major diterpene XA in vincristine-induced neuropathtic pain.

}, keywords = {Pregabalin, Randall-sellito, Vincristine, Von Frey filaments}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.129041}, author = {Elvis O Ameyaw and Eric Woode and Eric Boakye-Gyasi and Wonder K.M Abotsi and James Oppong Kyekyeku and Reimmel K Adosraku} } @article {795, title = {Antiarthritic and Antioxidant Effects of the Leaf extract of Ficus exasperata P. Beauv. (Moraceae)}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {2}, year = {2010}, month = {May 2010}, pages = {89-97}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {89}, abstract = {

Leaf extracts of Ficus exasperata P. Beauv. (Moraceae) are commonly used in Ghanaian traditional medicine for the treatment of several pathological states including inflammatory disorders. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antiarthritic effect of an ethanolic extract of F. exasperata (FEE) in the Freund{\textquoteright}s adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rats. Since free radicals and reactive oxygen species are implicated in inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, the antioxidant potential of the extract was investigated in in vitro experimental models. FEE as well as the positive controls, dexamethasone and methotrexate, showed significant dose-dependent antiarthritic properties when applied to established adjuvant arthritis. Oral administration of FEE (30-300 mg/kg p.o.) significantly reduced the arthritic edema in the ipsilateral paw of rats with a maximal inhibition of 34.46 {\textpm} 11.42\%. FEE (30-300 mg/kg p.o.) also significantly prevented the spread of the edema from the ipsilateral to the contralateral paws indicating inhibition of systemic spread. The disease-modifying antirheumatic drug methotrexate (0.1-1 mg/kg i.p.) and the steroidal anti-inflammatory agent dexamethasone (0.3-3 mg/kg i.p.) also reduced very significantly the total polyarthritic edema as well as the spread of the arthritis from the ipsilateral to the contralateral paws of the treated animals. The extract also exhibited reducing activity (EC 50 = 8.105 {\textpm} 18.49), scavenged 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, EC 50 = 0.499 {\textpm} 0.302) and prevented lipid peroxidation (IC 50 = 1.283 {\textpm} 0.923) in rat brain homogenates. Phenols were detected in the extract. These results suggest that ethanolic extract of the leaves of F. exasperata exerts antiarthritic activity after oral administration and also has antioxidant properties which may contribute to its activity.

}, keywords = {DPPH, Ficus exasperata, Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis, Lipid peroxidation, Total phenol}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.62958}, author = {Wonder M. K. Abotsi and Eric Woode and George K Ainooson and Ama K Amo-Barimah and Eric Boakye-Gyasi} }