article · Journal of Pain Research
Cucumis ficifolius is traditionally used in Ethiopia to manage pain and inflammatory ailments. To evaluate these traditional uses, crude methanolic root extracts and their butanol and aqueous solvent fractions were tested in mouse models. Pain response was assessed using acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate, and formalin-induced paw licking tests, whilst anti-inflammatory activity was measured using carrageenan-induced paw edema. At the maximum dose, the crude extract showed pain reduction comparable to acetylsalicylic acid in writhing tests and significantly lengthened reaction times in hot plate tests. The extract also reduced formalin-induced licking time by up to 83 percent in the late phase. Furthermore, the crude extract reduced inflammation by 71 percent, while the butanol fraction reduced it by 69 percent, confirming substantial pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.
Many communities rely on herbal remedies as accessible alternatives for managing pain and swelling. Testing these traditional therapies under controlled laboratory conditions provides scientific evidence regarding their biological activity. Confirming the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects of Cucumis ficifolius in animal models validates its indigenous medicinal use and supports further scientific exploration into its therapeutic properties.
The findings could ultimately inform the development of plant-derived pain relief and anti-inflammatory therapies for pharmaceutical or healthcare developers. However, because the study represents early-stage research conducted solely with crude extracts and solvent fractions in mouse models, significant laboratory isolation, safety profiling, and clinical testing are required before any real-world commercial application could be realised.
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Background: Societies in developing countries use traditional medicine as alternatives for management of pain and inflammation. The plant Cucumis ficifolius has been used in Ethiopia to treat many ailments including inflammation and pain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the crude root extract and solvent fractions of C. ficifolius . Methods: The analgesic activity of crude extract and solvent fractions of C. ficifolius was evaluated with acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate, and formalin-induced paw licking tests. The anti-inflammatory effect of crude methanolic root extract and solvent fractions of C. ficifolius was evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema. The crude extract was given at 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg. Butanol and aqueous fractions were given at 100 and 200 mg/kg doses. The negative control groups were treated with distilled water (10 mL/kg). Standard drugs used wereacetylsalicylic acid(ASA) in acetic acid, formalin tests and carrageenan-induced paw edema and morphine (20 mg/kg) in hot plate test. Results: The crude extract, at its maximum dose, produced comparable analgesic activity (72.5%) to ASA in acetic acid writhing test. In the hot plate test, both the crude extract and solvent fractions exhibited a significant prolongation of nociception reaction time. Formalin test result indicated a significant reduction of mean lick time with maximal protection of 64% (early phase) and 83% (late phase). Aqueous and butanol fractions showed good analgesic activity in the three models. Inflammation was decreased by 69% with butanol (200 mg/kg); 71% (800 mg/kg) of crude extract and by 41% and 56% with the use of aqueous fraction at 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively ( p <0.001). Conclusion: The present study indicates that the crude methanolic root extract, as well as butanol and aqueous solvent fractions, showed anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. Keywords: hot plate test, writhing test, paw edema, formalin test, carrageenan, 80% methanol
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DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s193029
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