Pain‐Relieving Property of <i>Artemisia abyssinica</i> and <i>Lepidium sativum</i> (Essential Oil) in Mice

Abstract

Background: Ethiopian traditional medicine uses Artemisia abyssinica and Lepidium sativum to treat headaches and other pain‐related disorders. Nevertheless, this assertion has not yet received enough scientific support. This study looked into the analgesic effects of A. abyssinica and L. sativum essential oils in mice. Methods: The extraction was carried out via conventional methods. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistilling fresh seeds and aerial parts of A. abyssinica and L. sativum , respectively. Test doses for both plants were 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg b.w. Using a mouse model of acetic acid‐induced writhing, the peripheral analgesic efficacy of the essential oils of A. abyssinica and L. sativum was assessed. The central analgesic effect of A. abyssinica and L. sativum essential oils was evaluated in mice using the hot plate method. Results: Essential oil of A. abyssinica at all dose levels revealed a statistically significant ( p &lt; 0.001) analgesic activity in an acetic acid–induced peripheral pain model when compared to the negative control. The maximum analgesic activity (45.26%) was observed for the highest dose of A. abyssinica essential oil (400 mg/kg b.w.), which was comparable to aspirin (47.56%). The middle and lowest dose levels of essential oils of A. abyssinica resulted in 43.63% and 40.80% of inhibition, respectively. As compared to the vehicle‐treated group, essential oil of L. sativum at all test dose levels showed a nonstatistically significant lowering of writhing in mice in a dose‐dependent manner. In the hot plate method, when compared to the vehicle‐treated group, the highest doses of both essential oils caused a highly significant ( p &lt; 0.001) delay in the reaction time at all observational intervals. At 30 min of observation, the standard drug’s maximum analgesic activity (73.90%) was noted. At 90 min of monitoring, the maximum dose level of L. sativum essential was shown to have the most analgesic potential. Both plants exhibited similar central analgesic efficacy at this time point. At 120 min of observation, the highest dose level of A. abyssinica essential oil exhibited the maximum analgesic activity (51.25%); at equivalent doses, the effect was higher than L. sativum essential oil. Conclusion: The traditional use of essential oils derived from A. abyssinica and L. sativum to treat headaches and other pain‐related conditions is supported by this study.