Preliminary Studies on Antinociceptive Activity of Dendrophthoe Falcata (l.f) Ettingsh (loranthaceae)

The plant Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f) Ettingsh (Loranthaceae) of the order Santalales, is used in folklore medicine for ailments including ulcers, asthma, importence, menstrual troubles, asthma, psychic disorders, paralysis, skin diseases, and wounds. Dendrophthoe falcata bark is considered to be astrngent and narcotic. The present study was undertaken to investigate the antinocicceptive activity of ethanolic extracts of the barks of D. falcata (DFEE) using formalin-induced nociception model, hot plate method (thermal stimulation), acetic acidinduced writhing test, p-benzoquinone-induced abdominal constriction test and Haffner,s tail clip method in rodents. Pre-treatment with DFEE with a dose of 200 and 400mg/kg body wt revealed significant (p<0.05) antinociceptive activity against all the tests performed as compared to the control group. The preliminary phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of steroids, terpenes, glycosides, tannins, proteins and flavonoids. The results of the present study substantiate the ethnopharmacological approach in selecting the plant as a remedy for nociceptive induced pain.