Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Bulbophyllum neilgherrense Wight. pseudobulb: A folklore plant

Bulbophyllum neilgherrense Wight. is an epiphytic orchid used extensively by the tribes of Karnataka in various diseases such as heart disease, leukoderma, skin allergy and rheumatism. It is used both internally and as an external application. In rheumatism, pseudobulbs chopped and boiled in coconut oil are applied externally.

This study aims to evaluate analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of B. neilgherrense Wight. pseudobulb powder in experimental animals.

Shade-dried pseudobulb were pulverized into fine powder. The analgesic activity of test drug was evaluated with tail-flick response and formalin-induced paw licking and anti-inflammatory activity with carrageenan-induced paw edema and formaldehyde-induced edema in Charles Foster albino rats. Statistically, the values were assessed with one-way analysis of variance followed by Dunnett's multiple t-test and Student's t-test for paired and unpaired data.

Administration of pseudobulb powder showed significant increase in tail-flick response at 30 min (51.75%), at 60 min (108.24%), 120 min (81.12%), and 180 min (23.84%). Test drug produced nonsignificant inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw edema at 1 h (37.25%) and 5 h (15.67%) compared to control group and did not produced any effect in formalin-induced edema.

The present study concluded that the test drug has central analgesic activity against radiant heat-induced pain, moderate anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced acute inflammation.