The Analgesic Effects Of Intraperitoneal Administration Of Holothuria Extracts On Formalin Induced Pain

The aims of this study were to determine the analgesic dose of holothuria extracts and compare the extract effects with dynastat, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, on pain behaviour in rats injected with formalin. Thirty nine Sprague-Dawley male rats (220-300 gram) were used and they were given intraperitoneal injection of either saline, holothuria 2 mg/kg, holothuria 4mg/kg. or dynastat (20mg/kg). The rats’ behaviour was recorded for one hour and behaviour data were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Scheffe’s test and significance level was taken as 0.05. The study has demonstrated that intraperitoneal administration of 4mg/kg of holothuria extracts significantly suppressed the pain behaviour in formalin injected rats compared to 2 mg/kg of holothuria extract and dynastat, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, in both phase 1 and 2 of formalin test. Results from this investigation throw some light as to the possible use of holothuria extract as an analgesic.