EVALUATION OF ANTINOCICEPTIVE AND ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ALPINIA GALANGA RHIZOMES IN ANIMAL MODELS

Alpinia galanga Linn. (Zingiberaceae) presents many chemical constituents of the volatile oil extracted from the rhizome. The rhizome of Alpinia galanga is used by people in many regions for relieving toothache, abdominal pain, muscular swelling and rheumatism. This study was performed to determine the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of a methanolic extract of Alpinia galanga. Analgesic activity was evaluated by acetic acid induced writhing responses, tail flick and hot plate methods in mice. In analgesic activity the A. galanga extract significantly reduced the writhes and increased the tail withdrawal time and paw jumping in albino mice. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by carrageenan induced edema in wistar albino rats. It was found that the extract inhibits the paw edema significantly (p<0.05) at both 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg dose levels when compared with control. The positive control drugs for analgesic and anti-inflammatory studies were employed as morphine and indomethacin, respectively. The present findings indicate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of A. galanga extract in animals.