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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Scientific investigation of crude alkaloids from medicinal plants for the management of pain

Authors: Mohammad Shoaib, Syed Wadood Ali Shah, Niaz Ali, Ismail Shah, Shafi Ullah, Mehreen Ghias, Muhammad Nawaz Tahir, Farah Gul, Sohail Akhtar, Abd Ullah, Wajid Akbar, Asad Ullah

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Tissue damage is associated with pain, which is an alarming sign. Aspirin and morphine have been widely used in recent decades for management of pain. Medicinal herbs have been in use for treatment of different diseases for centuries. Many of these herbs possess analgesic activity with relatively less incidences of adverse effects. The strong positive correlation of alkaloids in medicinal plants for analgesic activity persuades an intention to determine possible analgesic activity of total alkaloids extracted from the selected medicinal plants using animal models to answer its possible mechanisms.

Methods

Crude alkaloids from selected medicinal plants (Woodfordia fruticosa, Adhatoda vasica, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Vitex negundo, Peganum harmala and Broussonetia papyrifera) were extracted as per reported literature. The test crude alkaloids were screened foracute toxicity study. Writhings induced by acetic acid, tail immersion method and formalin-induced nociception assay procedures were used for possible analgesic effects of the crude alkaloids.

Results

Crude alkaloids were safe up to dose of 1250 mg/kg body weight in mice. The alkaloids significantly reduced the abdominal constrictions, and increased the time for paw licking response in both phases with a significant raise in latency time in nociception models (P ≤ 0.05). Moreover, the antinociceptive response was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with naloxone suggesting involvement of the opioid receptors for possible antinociceptive action.

Conclusions

Crude alkaloids of Woodfordia fruticosa and Peganum harmala showed prominent analgesic potentials through inhibition of peripheral as well as central nervous system mechanisms. Further work is required for isolation of the pharmacologically active constituents.
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Metadata
Title
Scientific investigation of crude alkaloids from medicinal plants for the management of pain
Authors
Mohammad Shoaib
Syed Wadood Ali Shah
Niaz Ali
Ismail Shah
Shafi Ullah
Mehreen Ghias
Muhammad Nawaz Tahir
Farah Gul
Sohail Akhtar
Abd Ullah
Wajid Akbar
Asad Ullah
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1157-2

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