Background: Ruta graveolens
has been used to treat toothache, earache, rheumatism and fever with little scientific evidence corroborating these uses.
Materials and Methods: The leaf methanol extract of
Ruta graveolens was evaluated for antinociceptive activity using the acetic acid writhing and
hot-plate tests in mice, also anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities using the carrageenan-induced oedema and
E. coli
-induced pyrexia tests in
rats, respectively.
Results: R. graveolens (100 mg/kg, i.p.), significantly reduced the number of acetic acid-induced writhes by 54 %.
R. graveolens (400 mg/kg, i.p.),
significantly delayed the reaction time in mice to thermal stimulation 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after treatment. Combined treatment of the lowest and
sub-effective doses of the leaf methanol extract (25 mg/kg, i.p.), and indomethacin (10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced the number of acetic acidinduced
writhes in mice. The leaf methanol extract of
R. graveolens (50 - 400 mg/kg, i.p.), significantly reduced carrageenan- induced oedema over
the 4 h period of testing. Combined treatment of the lowest doses of
R. graveolens (25 mg/kg, i.p.) and indomethacin (2 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a
significant reduction in carrageenan-induced oedema over the 4 h period of testing.
R. graveolens (100 - 400 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced
E. coli-induced
pyrexia over the 5 h period of testing. Given together, the lowest dose of
R. graveolens (25 mg/kg, i.p.) and pentoxifylline (10 mg/kg, i.p.)
produced a significant reduction in pyrexia induced by
E. coli (50 μg/kg, i.m.) over the 5 h period of measurement. The LD
50 value obtained for
R. graveolens was greater than 4000mg/kg (p.o), suggesting that the plant species may be safe in or nontoxic to mice.
Conclusion: The data obtained indicate that
R. graveolens has antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities, justifying the use of the
plant species by traditional medicine practitioners in the management and treatment of pain, inflammation and fever.
