Journal of Pharmacognosy & Natural Products

Analgesic Effect of Citrullus Colocynthis (L.) Schrad. On Chronic Constriction Injury and Spared Nerve Injury Models of Neuropathic Pain, an In Vivo Study

Abstract

Mohammad H Karimipour Baseri*

Objective: Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. (Cucurbitaceae) has many therapeutic effects such as anti-diabetic, antiinflammatory, and analgesic effects. In this study, the effectiveness of fruit pulp of this plant on peripheral neuropathy in two models of sciatic nerve pain. Materials and Methods: The fruit of plant, once collected, dried, then powdered and extracted by ultrasonic using ethanol solvent and condensed and dried for further steps. Pharmacologically, the analgesic effect of mentioned extract was evaluated. The chronic constriction injury (CCI) was inducing by placing four loose ligatures around the sciatic nerve, proximal to its trifurcation and spared nerve injury (SNI), Cut off one branches of the three root of the sciatic nerve output and pull it forward. Then, in both cases CCI and SNI muscle and skin suture separately. Locomotors activity, paw withdrawal cold allodynia and paw withdrawal thermal latency (thermal hyperalgesia) of rats were measured on 3, 7,10 and 14 post operated day and calcium content and pathologic were measure in nerve tissue. Results: A 14-day treatment with extract (1, 2, and 3mg/kg, i.p.) for different days starting from the 1st day after CCI operation significantly attenuated locomotors activity and paw withdrawal thermal latency. Ethanol extract also decreased lipid peroxidase and myeloperoxidase activity. However, administration of the extract for 14 day significantly attenuated chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain and also decreased the oxidative stress and calcium level. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that Citrullus colocynthis extract could be useful in the treatment of different kinds of neuropathic pains and as an adjuvant to conventional medicines.