Bridelia scleroneura is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family. In folk medicine in Cameroon, the stem bark of this plant is used for relieving abdominal pain, contortion, arthritis and inflammation. In this study, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the ethyl acetate stem bark extract have been evaluated. The putative analgesic effect of the plant extract was examined in abdominal constriction, hot plate, formalin and on pain using tail immersion mouse models and in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. The extract (150-600 mg/kg) exhibited a dose-dependent analgesic effect (46.27-78.97%) in acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction in mice. B. scleroneura extract increased the pain latency of nociceptive response to thermal stimuli at the higher dose of 600 mg/kg. B. scleroneuna induced significant dose-dependent reduction of the nociception in both early and late phases of the formalin test. The extract at the dose of 300 mg/kg, increased significantly, by 63.70% and 52.01% the tail-immersion latency time, 1 and 2 h post-dosing. In the carrageenan test, B. scleroneura (150-600 mg/kg, p.o) had dose-dependent and significant effects at different time intervals. This behaviour was similar to indometacin (10 mg/kg) used as a standard drug. These results show that the ethyl acetate stem bark extract of B. scleroneura possesses peripheral and central analgesic properties as well as anti-inflammatory activity against acute inflammation processes, in support of the folk medicinal use of the plant.

Anthocleista schweinfurthii is used in the traditional management of gastro-duodenal ulcers; this led us to evaluate the gastro-cytoprotective and healing effects of this plant. Anti-ulcer activity of the stem barks aqueous extract of A. schweinfurthii (EAS) was evaluated using five methods: HCl/ethanol; indomethacin-HCl/ethanol; absolute ethanol; pylorus-ligated (acute gastric lesions); and acetic acidinduced chronic ulcers in rats. The parameters assessed were mucus production, gastric ulcer index, pH, acid concentration and volume of gastric contents. Sucralfate, cimetidine and ranitidine were used as the reference anti-ulcer drugs. In all cases, oral administration of EAS (250 and 500 mg/kg), dosedependently, prevented gastric lesion formation (p<0.001). Generally, this cytoprotective action was accompanied by significant increases in gastric mucus production. Intraperitoneal indomethacin (30 mg/kg) significantly reduced mucus production but did not reduce the cytoprotective effect. In pylorus ligation, the extract did not reduce acidity and volume of gastric juice compared to controls. All doses of the extract showed a highly significant (p<0.001) reduction of ulceration with a healing rate over 90%. This study indicates that A. schweinfurthii possesses significant anti-ulcer activity and these results are substantiated by the histopathological examination of the ulcerated stomachs.

Aims:To investigate the ability of Enantia chlorantha aqueous extract to heal acetic acid-induced chronic gastric ulcers and to prevent the delay in chronic ulcer healing induced by indomethacin. Study Design: Random allocation of male rats to groups of five rats each.

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The present study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism responsible for the adaptogenic effects of the leaves aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera in rats. Thirty two male Wistar rats weighing 154 g were used. Four groups of rats (8 rats per group) were fed a standard laboratory diet with or without the M. oleifera extract (0, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days. The control group rats received distilled water. Rats were allowed for swimming exercise, with a load (10% of body weight) attached to the tail, every alternate day for a period of 14 days and swimming time of each session was recorded immediately. After the last training session, glyceaemia, lactatemia, uraemia, triglyceridemia, hepatic and muscle glycogen, oxidative stress parameters (superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde) and hematological parameters were measured. Results shown that extract of M. oleifera ameliorated endurance capacity of rats by an increase in the swimming time, blood hemoglobin, red blood cells, white blood cells, hepatic and muscle glycogen reserves and the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, the extract decreased blood concentrations of malondialdehyde, lactate, triglycerides and urea. These results also confirm that 200 mg/kg is the optimum dose with anti-fatigue activity.