Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Solvent Extracts of Tagetes erectus Linn (Asteraceae

Purpose: Traditionally, the leaves of Tagetes erectus L. are used in India for the alleviation of pain and inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatoryactivities of this plant material in an animal model.Methods: The chloroform, methanol and ether extracts of the leaves of Tagetes erectus L. (family: Asteraceae) were tested against acetic acid-induced writhing in mice and carrageenan-induced pawoedema in rats in order to assess their antinoceciptive and anti-inflammatory activities, respectively. The doses administered intraperitoneally (I.P.) ranged from 100 to 400 mg/kg body weight, andacetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and phenylbutazone were the reference standards for the antinoceciptive and anti-inflammatory tests, respectively.Results: The extracts showed antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties at doses between 200-400 mg/kg. They inhibited significantly (P < 0.005), in a dose-dependant manner, induced writhingreflexes in mice. The antinoceciptive effect was comparable to that of ASA which served as the reference standard. Similarly, the extracts significantly (