Analgesic and Antipyretic Properties of Ethanol Extract of Plumeria Acuminata Leaves in Male Wistar Rat Pain Models: Perspectives in Clinical Pain Management

Abstract

Background: Pain, whether acute or chronic, is debilitating and eventually degrades one's quality of life. Plumeria acuminate (P. acuminata), also known as Frangipani in English, is a plant used in traditional medicine to treat pain and inflammation, among other therapeutic uses. Aims and objectives: To evaluate the antipyretic and analgesic properties of ethanol leaf extract of P. acuminata in Wistar rat models of pain. Material and Methods: The experimental rats weighing 100–150 g were randomly assigned into six groups: (n = 6), control group (0.9% normal saline), paracetamol (150 mg/kg), and P. acuminata ethanol extract (250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg). Analgesic activity was assessed using acetic acid induced writhing reflexes and tail immersion protocols. Pyrexia was induced by a subcutaneous injection of 20% w/v brewer’s yeast. The rectal temperature was recorded hourly for four hours using a digital thermometer. Results: Antipyretic activity was observed at 1000 mg/kg of the extract, indicated by a decrease in rectal temperature, that was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The extract exhibited analgesic activity at 1000 mg/kg in the acetic acid tests. The analgesic activity observed was similar to that of paracetamol, as evident in the reduction of IL-1 concentration in the groups that received 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg of the extract. There was no significance recorded for the tail immersion test. Conclusion: P. acuminata leaf ethanol extract has antipyretic and analgesic properties that may have acted on peripheral but not central nociceptive pathways. The antipyretic and analgesic activity is comparable to paracetamol and may have clinical implications for the treatment of painful conditions.