Studying the Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory and Antipyretic Properties of The Aqueous Extract of Petroselinum crispum in Experimental Animal Models

The aqueous extract of Parsley ( Petroselinum crispum ) were investigated for anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity at the doses of 2 , 5 , and 10 g/kg, of body weight. The experimental paradigms used were carrageenan, dextran, histamine induced pedal edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma for anti-inflammatory activity, while hot plate and acetic acid induced writhing methods were used to assess analgesic activity. Yeast-induced hyperpyrexia was used to evaluate the antipyretic activity. In acute phase inflammation, a maximum inhibition 50.6% (P < 0.05), 51.1% (P < 0.05) and 52.3% (P < 0.05) were noted at the dose of 10 g/kg after 3 h of treatment with methanol extract of Parsley ( Petroselinum crispum ) in carrageenan, dextran and histamine induced pedal edema , respectively. In the chronic model (cotton pellet induced granuloma) , the parsley (10 g/kg) and standard drug (Indomethacin 10 mg/kg) showed decreased formation of granuloma tissue by 51.8% (P < 0.05) and 56.6% (P < 0.05) , respectively. The extract also produced significant (P < 0.01) analgesic activity in both paradigms. In addition, the aqueous extract of parsley potentiated the morphine and aspirin induced analgesia. A significant (P < 0.01) reduction in hyperpyrexia in rat was also produced by the extract. This study exhibits that methanol extracts of leaves of parsley possess anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities.