عصاره هيدروالكلي ميوه گياه پنج انگشت (Vitex agnus castus) در مهار درد و التهاب در موش كوچك آزمايشگاهي

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Vitex agnus castus fruit in mice

Background and aim: Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of Vitex agnus castus has been mentioned in traditional herbal medicine. In present study, we decided to evaluate the effects of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive of Vitex hydro-alcoholic extract in mice. Methods: In this experimental research, 112 adult male NMRI mice were used. Mice were divided into 7 groups for inflammatory test: first group was control. The second group was positive control group (receiving dexamethasone,15 mg/kg) and the other five groups received different doses of hydroalcoholic extract of Vitex fruit (265, 365, 465, 565, and 665 mg/kg, i.p.). Inflammation was induced by xylene in ear of mice. Formalin test was used for evaluation of antinociceptive effect of extract. In this test, mice were divided into 7 groups: control, morphin (10mg/kg) as positive control group, and Vitex extract groups (265, 365, 465, 565, and 665 mg/kg). All drugs were administered i.p., 30 min before each test. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey-kramer multiple comparison test. Results: Results showed significant anti-inflammatory effects of extract at all doses as compared with control (P<0.05). In the first phase of formalin test (0-5 min) none of extract doses could inhibit acute pain, but in the second phase (15-30 min) chronic pain was decreased at 265, 365, 465, and 565 mg/kg doses (P<0.05). Conclusion: The result of this research indicates that Vitex extract remarkably inhibits inflammation and second phase of nociception (inflammatory pain) and can be used for treatment of inflammatory diseases. However more researches are needed to find out the effective compounds in Vitex agnus castus fruit.