Antinociceptive Effect of Two Flavonoids from Aloysia Triphylla L.

Aloysia triphylla, known in Jordan as Mellisa, is a plant that belongs to the Verbenaceae. This plant has been used in herbal medicine as sedative agent and helps to counter depression. Phytochemical analysis of the ground aerial parts of Aloysia triphylla resulted in the isolation of two known compounds: artemitin and hesperidin. The two compounds were assessed for antinociceptive activities in mice, using the classical in vivo model of pain, the hot plate test. Artemitin and hesperidin (given i.p.) increased significantly (P 0.05) the pain latency of nociceptive response in dose dependent manner. The ED50 values were 1.6 x10-3 mg/kg for artemitin (n=6) and 3.2 x 10-1 mg/kg for hesperidin (n=6). The present data indicate that the two flavonoids (artemitin and hesperidin) possess significant antinociceptive effects in mice which seems to justify the traditional analgesic use of Aloysia triphylla