ABSTRACT
Rosa damascena is well known in herbal medicine. In addition to perfume effect, in traditional medicine several pharmacological effects of this plant such as beneficial effects for premenstrual breast tenderness, anti-inflammatory, treatment of abdominal and chest pain were reported. In the present study, the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg aqueous, ethanolic and chloroformic suxheleted extracts of Rosa dampscena were investigated. Analgesic effect of extracts was measured by Hot plate and Tail flick methods and inflammation was produced in the rats using carrageenan sodium salt. Anti-inflammatory effect was investigated through measurement of foot volume by displacement technique using a calibrated glass tube. The results showed that ethanolic extract had significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects comparable to morphine and diclofenac sodium respectively. Pretreatment of animals with naloxan significantly reduced analgesic effect of extract. Therefore the analgesic effect of extract seems to be, at least in part, through the opioid system