Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of Melastoma malabathricum leaves aqueous extract in experimental animals

• Main Authors: Zakaria, Zainul Amiruddin, Raden Mohd Nor, Raden Nur Suraya, Gopalan, Hanan Kumar, Abdul Ghani, Zuleen Delina Fasya, Sulaiman, Mohd Roslan, Ganeson, Rathna Devi, Mat Jais, Abdul Manan, Somchit, Muhammad Nazrul, Abdullah, Fatimah Corazon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: NRC Research Press 2006
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48579/1/Antinociceptive%2C%20anti-inflammatory%20and%20antipyretic%20properties%20of%20Melastoma%20malabathricum%20leaves%20aqueous%20extract%20in%20experimental%20animals.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/48579/; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/y06-083?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed&#.V8eUnTVrsZM
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

The present study was carried out to establish the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties of the aqueous extract of Melastoma malabathricum leaves in experimental animals. The antinociceptive activity was measured using abdominal constriction, hot-plate, and formalin tests, whereas the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities were measured using carrageenan-induced paw edema and brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia tests, respectively. The extract, which was obtained after soaking the air-dried leaves in distilled water for 72 h and then preparing in concentrations of 10%, 50%, and 100% (v/v), was administered subcutaneously 30 min prior to subjection to the above mentioned assays. At all concentrations tested, the extract was found to exhibit significant (P < 0.05) antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activities in a concentration-independent manner. Our findings that the aqueous extract of M. malabathricum possesses antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activities supports previous claims on its traditional uses to treat various ailments.