Comparative study of neuropharmacological, analgesic properties and phenolic profile of Ajwah, Safawy and Sukkari cultivars of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)

Abstract

In addition to the rich nutritional value, date palm is also used in various ethnobotanical practices for the treatment of various disease conditions. Present investigation was undertaken to examine the neuropharmacological and antinociceptive effect of the ethanol extract of three date cultivars growing in Saudi Arabia, namely Ajwah, Safawy and Sukkari. Neuropharmacological effect was observed by pentobarbitone induced sleeping time, open field, and hole board test. Antinociceptive activity was tested by acetic acid induced writhing and hot plate test. The date extracts were also subjected to HPLC analysis to detect the presence of common bioactive polyphenols. All the three date extracts extended the pentobarbitone induced sleeping time, reduced locomotor activity in open field test and reduced exploratory behaviour in hole board test in mice. The extracts also reduced acetic acid induced writhing and delayed response time in hot plate test. The activities were stronger for Ajwah than the other two date cultivars. HPLC analysis indicated the presence of trans-ferulic acid in all three cultivars, while (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin only in Ajwah and Safawy. The observed neuropharmacological and analgesic activity could be partly due to the presence of (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin and trans-ferulic acid, three important plant polyphenols well known for their neuroprotective activity and their ability to exert antioxidant activity on brain cells. Present investigation also supports the ethnobotanical use of date palm to provide ameliorating effects in pain and CNS disorders.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13596-016-0239-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dietary supplementation of Phoenix dactylifera L. seeds decreases pro-inflammatory mediators in CCl4-induced rats

“…Levels of GSH are significantly different between treatment groups and HC after administration of steeped date seeds. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. types of amino acids (4,5), administering steeped date seeds increases GSH levels.…”

“…Fast foods contain many free radicals, and increased free radicals in the body can damage lipids, proteins and DNA (1)(2)(3). Moreover, free radicals from toxic compounds such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) can decrease the body's immune system ability (4,5). Although the body has a complex immune defense system, sometimes it is unable to deal with certain toxins.…”

Effect of Saffron with or Without Date Sugar on Intensity of Pain and Anxiety During Labor in Primiparous Females: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

“…A pilot study on people with chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis showed the analgesic effect of date palm pollen on pain and improvement of swallowing (28). However, there are some studies showing the analgesic and relaxing effects of relatively high doses of dates 200 -500 mg/kg in mice (22,27,29). The current study suggested analgesic and anti-anxiety effect of combined date and saffron in females at labor and first day after delivery, however it is not possible to juduge on the effect of only dates.…”

“…It has a high nutritional value and is rich in carbohydrates such as glucose and fructose (70%), protein, B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and tannins (21). Some studies investigated the many medicinal applications of date palm, including antiinflammatory and analgesic effects (22,23), labor induction (23)(24)(25)(26), and sedation (27).…”

Neuropharmacological potential of Ceriscoides turgida (Roxb.) leaf and root in mice

“…The hole-board test was carried out according to the formerly described method by Sheikh et al (2016) [8] with slight modifications. For the present experiment, a flat platform of 45 cm × 45 cm in diameter with 16 evenly spaced holes was used.…”