Preliminary evaluation of ethanol leaf extract of Borreria verticillata Linn (Rubiaceae) for analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects

Borreria verticillata L is used for the treatment of some painful and inflammatory conditions by traditional medical practitioners in Nigeria and other countries. The ethanol leaf extract of B. verticillata (EEBV) was investigated for possible analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice and rats. The models used for the analgesic study were acetic acid induced abdominal writhes, hot plate tests in mice and formalin induced pain in rats. Carrageenan and formalin induced rat paw oedema were used to investigate anti-inflammatory effects. The oral (p.o) median lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight in mice and rats, while the intraperitoneal (i.p) LD50 in mice was 3807.88 mg/kg and greater than 5000 mg/kg in rats. The results of the study showed that the extract to have significant (p<0.001) analgesic effect at dose range of 200 to 1000 mg/kg p.o/i.p in mice in the acetic acid induced writhes and hot plate tests. Significant (p<0.05) analgesic effect was observed at 500 and 1000 mg/kg p.o in both phases of formalin induced pain in rats. EEBV exhibited anti-inflammatory effects which were found to be significant (p<0.001, p<0.05) at doses of 200 to 1000 mg/kg p.o/i.p in the rats and in all models used. Key words: Borreria verticillata, analgesic, anti-inflammatory.