Abstract

The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of methanolic extracts of the brown seaweed Sargassum swartzii (Turner) C. Agardh (Phaeophyta) and green seaweedUlva reticulata Forsskal (Chlorophyta) were examined. S. swartzii and U. reticulataextracts at the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight showed analgesic effects in both acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate-induced pain models. S. swartzii extract showed acute anti-inflammatory effect in both edemas in hind paw induced by carrageenan and peritonitis models, while U. reticulata extract only showed this effect on peritonitis. This only S. swartzii extract showed chronic anti-inflammatory effects (at the dose of 175 and 350 mg/kg body weight). Effects of these seaweed extracts were similar to those commonly used as analgesic and anti-inflammatory reference drugs as aspirin (100 mg/kg), morphine (100 mg/kg), indomethacin (25 mg/kg) and prednisolon (5 mg/kg). No acute toxicity was observed after oral administration of each extract (up to 66 g/kg body weight of tested extracts). These results are in agreement with the claims of the health care industry and indigenous medicine that the stated seaweeds could be used as an effective remedy for inflammation-related symptoms and they can be good criteria for reducing effect of inflammation as well as inducing analgesic effect.

Key words:  Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, methanol extract, Sargassum swartzii,Ulva reticulata.

Abbreviation

w-3 PUFAs, w-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids; HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; ABC, animal blood counter.