ANALGESIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES OF LEAF AND STEM ESSENTIAL OILS OF Jatropha tanjorensis (Euphorbiaceae)

Abstract

Since health is wealth, management of pain has generated great interest due to the economic hardship generally being experienced by nations. Jatropha tanjorensis is a shrub found in Asia, America and Africa, with reported nutritional and biological activities. This study was designed to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of the leaf and stem essential oils of Jatropha tanjorensis. Plant sample was obtained from Gboko, Nigeria. Essential oils from leaf and stem of this plant were extracted by hydro distillation using all-glass Clevenger apparatus. Acute toxicity test on essential oil samples of Jatropha tanjorensis was carried out using various dosages. Analgesic activity of these essential oils was investigated by measuring the number of acetic acid induced writhing in rats while oedema volume of rat’s paw was used to determine the anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil samples. Essential oil samples were safe at 25 ml/kg bodyweight. Analgesic activity of essential oil was very good on leaf (65.57 %) at 15 ml/kg bodyweight, however, less active than diclofenac (75.95 %) at 40 mg/kg bodyweight. During investigation of anti-inflammatory activity, all two essential oil samples; leaf and stem, showed better activity than the standard drug, indomethacin. Both leaf and stem essential oils of Jatropha tanjorensis exhibited early (0 minutes) and late phase (120 minutes) inhibitory activity.Results show that leaf and stem essential oils of Jatropha tanjorensis exhibited good anti-inflammatory activity and can be researched further in this regard as a possible drug.