Resumen

BARZAGA FERNANDEZ, Pedro et al. Analgesic effect of the freeze-dried aqueous extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum L. Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2005, vol.10, n.1. ISSN 1028-4796.

Drugs with the capacity of inhibiting the synthesis or action of mediators such as eikosanoids, histamine, bradycine, and others, hinder the sensitizing action of them on the nociceptive nervous terminationes. Taking into account the shown antiinflammatory activity of the freeze-dried aqueous extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum L., it was the objective of this paper to evaluate the analgesic properties of it in animal models. Doses of O. tenuiflorum of 250, 500 and 1 000 mg/kg were evaluated in pain-induction models by chemical and thermic ways. As a result of this study it was observed that the freeze-dried aqueous extract of O. tenuiflorum. had an analgesic effect in the hot dish model at a dose of 1 000 mg/kg, and in that of contortions by acetic acid in mice and calorific focus in rats at doses of 250, 500 and 1 000 mg/kg. These results indicated that the freeze-dried aqueous extract of O. tenuiflorum has an antinociceptive effect, mainly on the peripheral pathway.

Palabras clave : Ocimum tenuiflorum L.; Lamiaceae; analgesic activity; contortions caused by acetic acid; hot dish; hypnoanalgesia.