Abstract

The knowledge of pharmacological activity is mainly derived from the use that the population makes of plants. Rue (Ruta graveolens L.) is popularly used with a degree of mysticism due to its anti-inflammatory, healing, sedative and antispasmodic characteristics. In an attempt to confirm the well-known analgesic effects, the present study evaluated Rue extracts in animal models. Two organic extracts were produced and orally administered to mice, approximately 30 min before the tail immersion test in warm water (55 ± 0.5°C). The results reveal a small chronic analgesic effect and a high effect in acute essay (62.1% of pain inhibition) especially observed in the hexane extract, supporting the hypothesis of the use of this plant as having analgesic activity. However, the reports of the population about its analgesic activity should be caused also by its anti-inflammatory characteristics and the presence of compounds related in literature as analgesics. Further experiments should be done to better determine the dose-response analgesic effect of R. graveolens extracts.

Key words: Ruta graveolens, analgesic effect, tail immersion, rue.