A STUDY ON THE ANALGESIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF SCUTELLARIA DISCOLOR COLEBR IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

The genus Scutellaria has many species.  But only a few species are investigated for the treatment of many ailments. Despite the extensive use of traditional medicine against several diseases, scientific studies of Scutellaria discolor are less. The present study is taken up to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions of the acetone extract of S. discolour (SDA)using tail flick method with Analgesiometer and carrageenan induced hind paw edema model respectively using albino rats. The study of acute toxicity of the extract is done so as to determine the dose of the extract and to save the experimental animals. Pethidine and aspirin were used as the standard drugs for the analgesic and anti-inflammatory experiment, respectively. In tail-flick test, SDA induced a significant increase (p<0.05, p<0.001) in the reaction time to pain stimulation compared to the control showing its analgesic activity which was comparable to that of pethidine. In carrageenan-induced paw edema test, SDA showed significantly lower (p< 0.001) mean paw volume compared to the control group. But percentage inhibition of edema was greater in the aspirin group when compared to SDA. The results show that S. discolor analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity supporting the reports of its uses in traditional medicine against inflammation and pain.