ACUTE TOXICITY AND ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF CRUDE FLAVONOIDS OF ACHILLEA WILHELMSII AND TEUCRIUM STOCKSIANUM

OBJECTIVES: To isolate total flavonoids from Achillea Wilhelmsii and Teucrium Stocksianum and screen them for possible analgesic activity and to determine the safe dose range of total flavonoids for preclinical studies in mice. METHODS: Acute toxicity studies were performed in mice to determine its safe dose range for total flavonoids of Achillea wilhelmsii and Teucrium stocksianum. Writhing tests were performed in mice for possible analgesic activity. Tail immersion method was used in rats for possible analgesic activity. RESULTS: Respective LD50 for crude flavonoids of Achillea wilhelmsii (CFA) and crude flavonoids of Teucrium stocksianum (CFT) are 1312±12.76 mg/kg and 1248 ±29.6 mg/kg. In acetic acid induced writhing, analgesic effect of CFA and CFT in dose 10 mg/kg is almost comparable with standard acetylsalicylic acid (p≤0.05). Similarly, in tail immersion method, reaction time was significantly prolonged in test doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg (both for CFA and CFT) suggesting supraspinal analgesic effect. CONCLUSION: The results confirm that total crude flavonoids of both the species, which are safe up to dose of 100 mg/kg, have analgesic activity. It further warrants for isolation and purification of analgesic flavonoids for new drug development.