Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory, and acute toxicity effects of Asparagus persicus essential oil in male mice

In Iranian traditional medicine, Asparagus persicus has been used for treating rheumatic pain and inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory as well as acute toxicity effects of Asparagus persicus root essential oil (APEO) in male mice.

Male adult mice were used. In pain assessment tests (writhing, tail-flick, and formalin tests), animals divided to the six groups: control/vehicle (Tween 80+distilled water), three groups treated with the APEO (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, gavage/oral treating), morphine (i.p.), and naloxone (i.p.) plus APEO (400 mg/kg). Moreover, inflammation test (xylene and carrageenan tests), animals divided to five groups: control, three groups of APEO (orally), and dexamethasone (i.p.). For toxicity tests, the animals were divided to the six groups.

Results showed that APEO at a dose of 400 mg/kg in writhing and tailflick tests induced an antinociceptive effect as compared with the control (P<0.01). In addition, in xylene test, treatment with doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg of APEO reduced significantly the amount of mice ear inflammation compared to the control group. No acute acute toxicity of APEO was found.

Our findings suggests that APEO has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in male mice.