Assessment of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Olea europaea L

J Med Food. 2010 Apr;13(2):352-6. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0067.

Abstract

Leaves and fruits of Olea europaea L. (Family Oleaceae) are used for the treatment of various kinds of diseases, i.e., rheumatism and hemorrhoids, and as a vasodilator in vascular disorders for ages in folk medicine. In order to evaluate this information, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of the ethanolic and n-hexane extracts prepared from the fruits of O. europaea were investigated. For the anti-inflammatory activity, the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema and acetic acid-induced increased capillary permeability models were used, whereas for the antinociceptive activity, the p-benzoquinone-induced writhing and hot plate tests in mice were used. The results revealed that the ethanolic extract did not show a significant anti-inflammatory or analgesic activity, whereas the n-hexane extract displayed 12.7-27.8% inhibition on the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model at the 400 mg/kg dose, without inducing any apparent acute toxicity as well as gastric damage. Further studies are warranted to define and isolate the active anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive components from this plant, which may yield safe and effective agents to be used in the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetic Acid
  • Analgesics / pharmacology
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Benzoquinones
  • Capillary Permeability / drug effects
  • Carrageenan
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Edema / chemically induced
  • Edema / drug therapy
  • Fruit
  • Hot Temperature
  • Inflammation / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Olea*
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pain / etiology
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Benzoquinones
  • Plant Extracts
  • quinone
  • Carrageenan
  • Acetic Acid