Preclinical evaluation of analgesic activities of Barringtonia Racemosa

Background: Pain is the major devastating health problems. Barringtonia racemosa Roxb. (Lecythidaceae) is the one which is frequently used to treat pain by traditional healers in Ethiopian folk medicine. However, the plant has not been scientifically evaluated for its traditionally claimed use. The present study aimed at the investigation of analgesic activities of ethanol root extract of Barringtonia racemosa Roxb in Albino rats (Wistar) model. Methods: Successive maceration was used as a method of extraction using solvents ethanol. After extraction of the roots, the crude extract was evaluated for its analgesic activities using tail flick and hot plate method. The extract was evaluated at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg doses. The positive control groups were treated with Aspirin 20 mg/ kg i.p, distilled water (10 mL/kg) treated rat were assigned as negative controls. Results: Barringtonia racemosa Roxb root extract at all test doses showed statistically significant antinociceptive activity in both model in a dose dependent manner (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). The greater analgesic activity was observed by the maximum dose of the extract (400 mg/kg) in both tail flick and hot plate method method. Conclusion: In general, the data obtained from the present study elucidated that the extract possessed a significant analgesic activities and recommended for further studies.