ABSTRACTExtract obtained from the leaves of Musanga cecropioides R. Br. ex Tedlie, Urticaceae, a tree growing in Africa, is used traditionally in the treatment of edema and rheumatism. The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties of ethanol extract were studied using the carrageenan, histamine, serotonin and xylene-induced edema tests as well as the formalin, mouse writhing and tail clip tests. Significant dose dependent inhibition was observed in the carrageenan model with peak inhibition at 150 mg/kg (71.43%, 90 min, p < 0.001). In the histamine and serotonin models, the extract caused significant inhibition of 83.33% (p < 0.05) and 45% (p < 0.01) at 120 min respectively. For the xylene model, the extract showed maximum inhibition (59.25%) at 200 mg/kg. Also, M. cecropioides produced significant anti-nociceptive activity in the mouse writhing (55.12%, p < 0.01), formalin (81.88%, p < 0.01) and tail clip (11.78%, p< 0.001) tests at 200 mg/kg respectively. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that the ethanolic leaf extract of M. cecropioidespossesses anti-inflammatory effect possibly mediated via histaminergic and serotonergic inhibition and anti-nociceptive effect mediated via peripheral mechanism with mild central involvement.

Blepharis maderaspatensis(L.) B. Heyne ex Roth, Acanthaceae, is a procumbent or scrambling perennial herb used traditionally for treatment of snakebites, wounds, edema and gout. The anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties of the ethanol extract of the whole plant of B. maderaspatensis was investigated using carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, xyleneinduced edema in mice, mouse writhing and tail clip tests respectively. The effect of the extract on inflammatory mediators, serotonin and histamine, using the most active dose (75 mg/kg) was also carried out. The results showed that the extract of B. maderaspatensis in carrageenan-induced test caused a significant inhibition (84.5%, 90 min) of paw edema at a dose of 75 mg/kg while the xylene-induced test caused a significant inhibition (62.65%) at 50 mg/kg. The histamine-induced test showed significant inhibition (90.9%, 90 min) while serotonin-induced test showed moderate inhibition (54.10%, 180 min). In the mouse writhing and tail clip tests, the extract produced a significant inhibition of 66.21% and 15.81% at 75 mg/kg, respectively. These results collectively demonstrate that the ethanol extract of B. maderaspatensis possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties, and this supports the ethnopharmacological use of the plant in the treatment of inflammation.