analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of zea mays leaves

background & aim:zea mays leaf used traditionally in ibibio ethno medicine in southern nigeria to treat malaria and other inflammatory diseases. these anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties were evaluated against experimentally induced inflammation and pains using standard models. experimental: the effects of ethanol leaf extract of zea mays (170 -510 mg/kg) on experimentally induced inflammation and pain were studied in rats using carrageenin, egg albumin  and xylene-induced inflammation as well as acetic acid-induced writhing and thermal induced pain models. the gcms analysis of the most active fraction was carried out. results: the extract (170 -520 mg/kg) inhibited inflammation and pains caused by different phlogistic agents used in a dose dependent fashion. the various degrees of inhibitions were statistically significant (p