Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities ofCassia goratensisandSacrocephalus esculentusExtracts

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies were conducted on rats and mice using aqueous extracts of the roots of Sarcocephalus esculentus and the stem back of Cassia goratensis. The aqueous extracts of both plants inhibited egg-albumin induced edema and acetic acid-induced writhing. Sarcocephalus esculentus did not significantly alter the stay time of the rats on hot plate, but Cassia goratensis significantly increased the stay time on the hot plate. Sarcocephalus esculentus does not protect the animals against hot plate method of assaying analgesic activity. Intraperitoneal (ip) LD50 were 3.5 g/kg and 1.375 g/kg for Sarcocephalus esculentus and Cassia goratensis, respectively, and preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of glycosides, flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids in both extracts. These results suggest that these plants possess analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties for which they are being used by traditional healers.