European Journal of Medicinal Plants

Aims: The aim of the study was to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of the methanol stem bark extract of Brachystegia eurycoma Harms.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin.
Methodology: Analgesic activity was examined using the hot plate and acetic acid-induced writhing test while acute anti-inflammatory effect was studied using carrageenan and dextran-induced paw edema.
Results: Oral administration of the extract produced significant (P<0.01) antiedematogenic effect with a dose of 100 mg/kg within the 2^nd and 4^th h of the experiment in the dextran-induced paw edema and within the 1^st and 3^rd h in the carrageenan model. The extract exhibited a significant (P<0.001) inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing. In the hot plate test, the extract (100 mg/kg) significantly (P<0.05) prolonged the reaction latency to pain at the 60 min. Oral acute toxicity studies did not show any mortality at 5 g/kg of the plant extract.
Conclusion: This study showed that Brachystegia eurycoma possesses significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.