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Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 40732319 DOI: 10.3390/ph18071031

In Vivo Evaluation of the Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Thymus numidicus Essential Oil.

Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 18(7)

Authors: Ouardia Chaouchi, Velislava Todorova, Stanislava Ivanova, Elizabet Dzhambazova, Farida Fernane, Nacira Daoudi Zerrouki, Lyudmil Peychev, Kremena Saracheva, Michaela Shishmanova-Doseva, Zhivko Peychev

Affiliations

  • Natural Resources Laboratory, Mouloud Mammeri University of Tizi Ouzou, Tizi Ouzou 15000, Algeria.
  • Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
  • Research Institute, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
  • Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
  • Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
  • Department of Medical Informatics, Biostatistics and E-Learning, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Abstract

Background: Thymus numidicus Poiret. (Lamiaceae) is an endemic plant with well-known antibacterial properties. It has been largely used in traditional Algerian medicine. This study aimed to compare the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) extracted from leaves and flowers using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method, as well as to investigate its analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Results: The EOs were rich in monoterpenes and classified as a thymol chemotype. In vivo experiments revealed that acute treatment with T. numidicus EO (20 and 80 mg/kg) significantly increased the thermal threshold on the hot-plate at all tested hours compared to the control animals (p < 0.001, respectively), while only the higher dose had a similar effect to the metamizole group at 2 and 3 h. In the mechanical stimulus test, both doses of the EO led to a late analgesic effect presented with increased paw withdrawal threshold only during the third hour compared to the control group (p < 0.05, respectively). In the plethysmometer test both doses of the EO dose-dependently reduced paw volume with nearly 10% and 15% compared to the control animals at all tested hours (p < 0.001, respectively), with a more pronounced volume reduction in the higher dose. In a neuropathic pain model, the EO (20 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased the withdrawal latency time towards thermal stimuli and enhanced the paw withdrawal threshold in response to mechanical pressure at all tested hours compared to the CCI-group (p < 0.001, respectively). These findings demonstrate the potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of T. numidicus EO in models of acute and neuropathic pain.

MeSH

Oils, Volatile, Pain, Analgesics, Thymus Gland, Neuralgia