Anti-Nociceptive Effect of the Fruit Essential Oil of Cuminum cyminum L. in Rat.

Cuminum cyminum Linn. (Umbelliferae) is a plant, which has been used as a toothache remedy in folk medicine of Iran. In this study, the potential anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the fruit essential oil of C. cyminum has been evaluated in chemical (formalin test) and thermal (tail-flick test) models of nociception and formalin model of acute inflammation in rats and mice. The essential oil at the doses ranging between 0.0125 and 0.20 ml/kg exhibited a significant and dose-dependent analgesic effect in the model of chronic and inflammatory pain. However, the essential oil was devoid of anti-inflammatory activity. Moreover, the essential oil had no analgesic effect in tail flick test as a model of acute pain. The LD50 value of 0.59 ml/kg was obtained for the essential oil. This low toxicity of the essential oil makes it worthy for further studies.