Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Extracts and Fatty Acids from Celtis australis L

Context: Celtis australis L. (Ulmaceae) is a deciduous tree distributed to mountainous and sub-mountainous Himalaya. This plant has been used as traditional medicine in bone fracture, pimples, contusions, sprains and joint pains in India. Objectives: This is the first evaluation of C. australis extracts (bark and fruits) and fatty acids (fruits) for acute toxicity, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Materials and methods: The ethanol extracts of air dried stem bark and fruits were prepared at 30-50°C with 95% EtOH for 15h. The solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure and the powdery extracts so obtained were used for present study along with crude fatty acids obtained from column elution of n-C6H12-CHCl3 (6:4) of EtOAc fruit extract. Crude extracts and fatty acids were screened for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities by oral administration of three different doses at 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of each text sample on Swiss albino mice and Sprague-Dawley rats, respectively. Results: All doses (i.e. 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg) of test samples were found active when compared with negative control. Crude extracts and fatty acids at higher concentration (i.e. 500 mg/kg) showed analgesic activity protection of 59.28, 63.22, and 45.79%, respectively, whereas at the same concentration, the anti-inflammatory inhibition was 44.26, 45.90, and 42.62%, respectively. Paracetamol and phenylbutazone were used as positive controls for analgesic and antiinflammatory activities, respectively. Discussion and conclusion: Present study concludes that extracts (stem bark and fruits) and fatty acids (fruits) of C. australis have significant (p<0.05) analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.