Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Ethanolic Extract of Artemisia morrisonensis Hayata in Mice

Abstract EN

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible analgesic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of the ethanolic extract of A.

morrisonensis Hayata (AMEtOH).

Two models were employed for evaluation of the analgesic effects: acetic acid-induced writhing response and formalin-induced paw licking.

The results demonstrated that AMEtOH decreased writhing response for both the acetic acid assay and the licking time in the formalin test.

The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by paw edema of mice induced by λ-carrageenan.

AMEtOH significantly decreased induced paw edema three to four hours after λ-carrageenan injection.

Additionally, the results indicated that the anti-inflammatory mechanism of AMEtOH may be due to the declined levels of nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the edematous paw.

Furthermore, AMEtOH decreased the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, leading to the reduction of prostaglandins and subsequently alleviated edema.

Isolation and purification of the AMEtOH extract determined p-hydroxyacetophenone to be a major component at 130 mg/g of extract.

No mortality was observed in the acute toxicity test given at the dose of 10 g/kg.

This study demonstrated the possible mechanisms for the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of AMEtOH for mice and provided evidence for the ethnobotanical uses of A.

morrisonensis in treating inflammatory diseases.