Aqueous root extracts from Mimosa albida Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd display antinociceptive activity in mice

Ethnopharmacological relevance: In this work, we study whether aqueous extracts from the roots of Mimosa albida Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd, a plant known in the Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico as Lotom chix are endowed with both antinociceptive and anxiolytic effects. Materials and methods: ICR mice were systemically treated with aqueous extracts from Mimosa albida and the reference compounds (diazepam, dipyrone and/or fentanyl) and their behavior was evaluated in several behavioral tests. Results: Administration of aqueous extracts from the roots of Mimosa albida resulted in a reduction of the nociception elicited in mice by both the hot plate (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg; i.p.) and the acetic acid-induced writhing (25 and 50 mg/kg; i.p.) tests. No effects were however observed both in the elevated plus-maze and hole board test (3.2, 12.5 and 25 mg/kg; i.p.). In contrast, both locomotion (open field test) and motor coordination (rotarod test) were affected at doses (50, 100 y 200 mg/kg; i.p.) higher than those having antinociceptive effects. Conclusion: These data suggest that in mice the systemic administration of low doses of aqueous extracts from the roots of Mimosa albida results in antinociceptive effects in several models of pain through mechanisms that do not involve the opioid system pathway. These results support the ethnopharmacological use of Mimosa albida in popular medicine. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.