In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of Aqueous Extract of Cistus ladanifer L. From Morocco

This study is designed to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous extract (AE) of Cistus ladanifer L. leaves in experimental animal models. The central analgesic activity of C. ladanifer AE is studied using hot plate method in rats, and the acute anti-Inflammatory activity of C. ladanifer is investigated by rats paw edema induced by subplantar injection of 0.5% carrageenan into the right hind paw. Rats are pretreated with AE of C. ladanifer at different doses (150, 175, and 200 mg/kg, i.p.). The tramadol and indomethacin are used as reference drugs for analgesic and anti-inflammatory studies, respectively. Our results show that the AE of C. ladanifer exhibited anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects dose dependent. In anti-inflammatory activity, the AE of C. ladanifer at all doses reduced significantly the edema paw inflammation after carrageenan injection. Furthermore at 200 mg/kg, the effect of AE is highly important than that of other doses. In addition, the same AE demonstrates significant analgesic effect in thermal-induced pain model. So, this activity is proved by significant reduction of pain score after administration of AE at all doses. The nociception protection effects in this case are, respectively, 70.3%, 74.55%, and 93.33% after administration of AE of C. ladanifer at doses 150, 175, and 200 mg/kg b.w. The results of our findings suggest that AE of C. ladanifer has potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities with evidence of possible involvement of peripheral and central effects in its actions.