ABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to investigate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of virgin coconut oil [VCO] produced by theMalaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute [MARDI] using various in vivo models. Two types of VCOs, produced via standard drying [VCOA] and fermentation [VCOB] processes were used in this study. Both VCOA and VCOB were serially diluted using 1% Tween 80 to concentrations [v/v] of 10, 50 and 100%. Antinociceptive and anti- inflammatory activities of both VCOs were examined using various in vivomodel systems. The antinociceptive activity of the VCOs were compared to those of 1% Tween 80 [used as a negative control], morphine [5 mg/kg] and/or acetylsalicylic acid [100 mg/kg]. Both VCOA and VCOB exhibited significant [p < 0.05] dose-dependent antinociceptive activity in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. Both VCOs also exerted significant [p < 0.05] antinociceptive activity in both phases of the formalin and hot-plate tests. Interestingly, the VCOs exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in an acute [carrageenan-induced paw edema test], but not in a chronic [cotton-pellet-induced granuloma test] model of inflammation. The MARDI-produced VCOs possessed antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. Further studies are needed to confirm these observations