Evaluation of Analgesic and Antioxidant Properties in the Ethanolic Root Extract of Clerodendrum viscosum Vent

Purpose: To investigate potential analgesic and antioxidant properties in the ethanolic root extract of Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. Methods: Phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic root extract was evaluated using standard procedure. Analgesic activity test was carried out by acetic acid induced writhing in mice model. The antioxidant property of the plant extract was assessed by DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity. Results: Phytochemical analysis displayed that the plant extract contains carbohydrates, glycosides, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and steroids types of compounds. The extract exhibited dose-dependent and statistically significant (P<0.01) writhing inhibition in acetic acid induced mice. The extract produced about 38.59 % & 59.07% writhing inhibition at the doses of 250 mg/kg & 500 mg/kg respectively, which was comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium (writhing inhibition was about 77.78% at the dose of 25 mg/kg). In DPPH scavenging assay, the IC50 value was found 32.5μg/ml which was comparable to that of a standard antioxidant ascorbic acid (IC50:7μg/ml). Conclusion: Our findings provide a support for the use of this plant in traditional medicine as an analgesic and antioxidant as well as its further phytochemical and pharmacological investigation to identify and isolate the actual molecule(s) which exhibited that analgesic and antioxidant activities.