The Potency of Piperine as Antiinflammatory and Analgesic

The potency of piperine as anti inflammatory and analgesic were investigated. Piperine was evaluated for antiinflammatory effect by carrageen-induced rat paw edema. Sprague Dawley Rats were divided into the control groups were given saline perorally, piperine groups received doses of 2.5; 5 and 10 mg/kg piperine (peroral) respectively. This was followed by the administration of 1 % caragenin through the intraplantar route 30 min after administration piperine or saline. After the carrageenan injection was measurement of paw volume and prostaglandin production. The piperine in doses of 2.5; 5 and 10 mg/kg showed 5.4; 43.8 and 54.8 % inhibition of paw edema respectively at the end of three hours. The increase in prostaglandin (PGE2) levels after carrageenan injection was significantly prevented by preadministration of the piperine at 5 and 10 mg/kg but not piperine at 2.5 mg/kg. These results suggest that piperine has antiinflammatory properties may be attributed to inhibition of prostaglandin release. The analgesic activity of piperine was tested by acetic acid-induced writhing response and hot plate method in albino mice. The piperine in doses of 2.5; 5 and 10 mg/kg showed the percentage of protection from writhing was 1.4; 5.9 and 3.3 % respectively. However the piperine at 2.5; 5 and 10 mg/kg resulted no significantly analgesic effect in acetic acid-induced writhing response. In the hot plate model, the piperine at 2.5; 5 and 10 mg/kg resulted no significantly analgesic effect after 30 min, 1, 2 and 3 h of administration. These results suggest that piperine has not analgesic properties.