Abstract:
Some native doctors practising the traditional
system of medicine in Sri Lanka recommend leaf extracts of
Murra-,-a koenigii Spreng. Syst. Veg. (Family Rutaceae;
known as karapincha in Sinhala and karuvembu in Tamil)
tbr the relief of pain associated with abdominal colic' Thus it
is possible that these leaves possess potent analgesic activity,
bui this has not been evaluated scientifically. Furthermore, if
the presence of potent antinociceptive activity in the leaves of
M. ioenigii is proven scientifically, then it could be used as a
potential natural source for the development of novel analgesic
drugs. Virtually every pharmacological class of drug
includes a natural product prototype, most frequently plantderived
[1].
The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic activity
of a water extract of mature leaves of M. koenigii in both
males and females using tail flick [2] and hot plate [2]
paradigms.
