Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of Terminalia Muelleri Benth. (Combretaceae)

Preclinical Research The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of a polyphenol-rich fraction (TMEF) obtained from Terminalia muelleri Benth. were measured. The analgesic activity of TMEF was tested using acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate models in mice. The anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using carrageenan-induced paw edema model by measuring PGE₂ , TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 plasma levels as well as the paw thickness. TMEF was tested at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg p.o. and diclofenac sodium was used as a standard (100 mg/kg) in all experiments. The group treated with 400 mg/kg of TMEF showed a greater inhibition in the number of writhes (by 63%) than the standard-treated group (61%). Pretreatment with TMEF increased the analgesic effect in hot plate test in a dose-dependent manner with a maximum effect after 120 min. TMEF pretreatment alos reduced the edema thickness by 48, 53, and 62% at the tested doses, respectively. TMEF administration inhibited the carrageenan-induced elevations in PGE₂ (by 34, 43, and 47%), TNF-α (18, 28, and 41%), IL-1β (14, 22, and 29%), and IL-6 (26, 31, and 46%). Four phenolic compounds were isolated from Terminalia muelleri for the first time. Drug Dev Res 78 : 146-154, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.