Exploring the therapeutic potential of ethanol extract of Erythrina fusca Lour. roots as an analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory agent in experimental animals

Abstract

Erythrina fusca Lour., renowned in traditional medicine for its soothing, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroinhibitory properties, is the focus of our investigation. Expanding on its traditional applications, we assessed the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic characteristics of the ethanol extract from E. fusca root (REEF). Administered orally to mice at varying doses (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg for pain and fever reduction; 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg for anti-inflammatory experiments), REEF's effects were systematically evaluated through parameters such as reaction time, pain inhibition ratio, COX2 and PGE2 levels, rectal temperature, fever inhibition ratio, paw diameter, paw edema inhibition ratio, and inflammatory cytokines. Results reveal that REEF consistently reduced licking and biting time (p < 0.05) in response to formalin-induced pain in mice. Particularly noteworthy was the more pronounced reduction in COX2 and PGE2 during the late phase, with the most significant decrease observed at the 150 mg/kg REEF treatment (p < 0.05). The licking time graph substantiated the analgesic efficacy of REEF, illustrating simultaneous and sustained pain reduction over time. Moreover, REEF significantly alleviated fever (p < 0.05) in mice, with the most substantial effect observed three hours post-yeast injection. REEF not only efficiently reduced body temperature but also countered the fever-inducing effects of yeast at evaluated time points (p < 0.05). In the context of carrageenan-induced inflammation, paw swelling markedly diminished after 4 and 5 hours (p < 0.05). Notably, at the 5-hour mark, REEF treatment at 150 mg/kg dose exhibited significantly superior anti-inflammatory effects (p < 0.05). Additionally, mice treated with REEF (100, 150, and 200 mg/kg) exhibited a considerable decrease (p < 0.05) in serum concentrations of TNF-?, IL-1?, and IL-6 compared to the control treatment. The ethanol extract from Erythrina fusca roots demonstrates substantial potential for pain relief, fever reduction, and anti-inflammatory effects, positioning it as a promising herbal resource for the research and development of natural medicinal products with these therapeutic properties.