ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF HYDROMETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF FICUS POLITA LEAVES

Ficus polita leaves have been used in traditional medicines to increase physical strength, work productivity and longevity, resistance to high altitude sickness, fatigue, depression, anemia, gastrointestinal ailments, infections, and nervous system disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the analgesic activity of hydromethanolic extract of F. polita leaves in rats using acetic acid-induced writhing and tail flick immersion methods. The phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, glycosides, resins, steroids, balsams and pholobatannins. Acute oral toxicity study resulted in no mortality after oral administration of 3000 mg/kg of the extract. Based on the tail flick immersion test, Ficus polita hydromethanolic leaves extract and the standard drug, diclofenac showed significant (P<0.05) analgesic activity by prolonging the mean latency time when compared to the control. However, a significantly (P<0.001) prolonged mean reaction latency to pain in morphine-treated groups was not comparable to the extract and diclofenac treated groups. The extract and the standard drugs significantly (P<0.001) inhibited the acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing at all doses tested compared to control. The prolonged reaction latency and inhibition of pain in Ficus polita leaves extract treated groups may be correlated with its significant analgesic potential and thus validates its traditional uses.