Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Mitragyna speciosa and Erythroxylum cuneatum

This study was conducted to determine the potential of both Mitragyna speciosa (MS) and Erythroxylum cuneatum (EC) aqueous leaves extracts as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive agents. MS has been used traditionally by local folks to treat diarrhea, reducing cough, alleviate pain and to combat fatigue. Meanwhile, EC was used as fish poison and tonic for miscarriage. MS and EC aqueous leaf extracts have the capability to chelate iron and have potent anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities but were not effectively inhibiting the production of uric acid. Both extracts (50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o) were given to rodents in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model and acetic acid-induced writhing in mice models to study their anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities, respectively. Animals given (400 mg/kg, p.o) showed significant (p<0.05) reduction in number of writhes and paw edema volume compared to control.