Antinociceptive Activity of Syzygium Aromaticum Linn. Flower Buds (Clove) Extract and its Fractions

Syzygium aromaticum (Myrtaceae) flower buds (clove) are traditionally known to possess antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, antiviral and other activities, including the antinociceptive action. Scientific evidence also suggests the antileishmanial, antiherpetic and anti-HIV activities of the buds. This paper reports the antinociceptive activity of S. aromaticum flower buds, reinforcing its use in decreasing the pain. The present study was designed to confirm the analgesic activity of S. aromaticum extract and seven of its fractions to reveal the common belief in its painkilling effects. We chose two thermal nociception assays (i) hot-plate test (ii) and tail-flick method as our experimental techniques. Both of these methods are well established to screen anti-nociceptive activities in new molecules. The standard drug indomethacin (5 mg/kg) given by intra-peritoneal route was used in the study for comparison. The study has shown that the methanolic extract (SA-EXT) and its active fractions possess anti-nociceptive activity (p<0.05) in the models of nociception used.