Major essential oil components, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of hexane extract of Vitexagnus- castus L. fruits and possible mechanism in male mice

ABSTRACT

Vitexagnus- castus L. [Vac.] has been used in the Iranian traditional medicine for the treatment of pain and swelling of uterus. In this study, GC and GC/MS analyses were carried out for the identification of essential oil chemical components. Formalin and Xylene-induced ear-edema were used in order to nociception and inflammation activity. Then, the possible interaction between 3drugs including Naloxone [2mg/kg], Dextrometorphane[20mg/kg], and L-NAME [10mg/kg] have been used and Vitexagnus-castus hexane extract was examined. 1,8-Cineole [23 %], alpha-Pinene [16 %], beta- Pinene [13 %],, Z- Caryophylene [11 %], alpha- Terpinyl acetate [9 %], E- caryophylene [9 %] and Linalool [6.5 %] were the major identified components of the essential oil of Vitexagnus- castus L. Hexane extract was reduced licking time as compared to the control group in the first and second phase of formalin test. In Xylene-induced ear-edema, the hexane extract of Vitexagnus- castus fruits was strongly inhibited inflammation as compared to the positive control group. Interaction between L-NAME and Vitexagnus-castus hexane extract showed significant effect. It was concluded that the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the fruit of Vitexagnus- castus L. may be due to its very pharmacological effective essential oil components. Interaction between L-NAME and Vitexagnus-castus hexane extract showed that one of the possible pathways is NO pathway, but Vitexagnus-castus hexane extract probably acts via other pathways that need more research