Evaluation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanolic extract of Cordia sebestena L.

Trees and shrubs of the genus Cordia are widely distributed in the warmer regions, including Indonesia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of the ethanolic extract of plant leaves in Wistar albino rats. The analgesic activity was evaluated using the hot plate method and acetic acid-induced writhing, and the anti-inflammatory activity was determined using carrageenan-induced paw oedema. The results showed that the Cordia sebestena ethanol extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) exhibited significant analgesic effects in a dose-dependent manner in the two pain models tested. The extract also exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects in the carrageenan-induced inflammation test. The data obtained support the traditional folklore therapeutic claim about its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Nonetheless, further scientific investigation is required to establish its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties in other experimental models and clinical settings.