ABSTRACT

The effect of alcoholic extracts of bark from Excoecaria. agallocha Linn. (Family: Euphorbiaceae) was evaluated in experimental models of pain and ulceration. Crude extracts of Excoecaria agallocha (300 mg/kg dose) showed maximum time needed for the response against thermal stimuli (6.72±0.43 seconds) which is comparable to diclofenac sodium (8.20±0.21 seconds) in the hot plate test. Hot tail immersion test also showed similar results as in hot plate test. The bark extracts at 500 and 250 mg/kg showed significant reduction in acetic acid induced writhings in mice with a maximum effect of 53.87% reduction at 500 mg/kg dose. The effect produced by the alcoholic extract at the highest dose was comparable to that of diclofenac sodium at 100 mg/kg (70.56%). It has also been seen anti-ulcerogenic activity compared to acetylsalicylic acid, which may be due to the protective effect of the extract. The result suggest that the analgesic effect of the extract as claimed in folklore medicine, which may be mediated via both peripheral and central mechanism having gastro-protective effect.