Evaluation of anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities and the phytochemical study of Astragalus arbusculinus gum in animal models

Background The importance of inflammatory diseases and side effects of conventional drugs necessitate the finding of new anti-inflammatory agents from natural sources. In this study, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the aqueous extract of Astragalus arbusculinus gum were evaluated in animal models. Methods Thirty-five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups and pretreated with different doses of A. arbusculinus gum extract before the injection of formalin. Paw edema was measured by a plethysmometer at time 0 and after 8 days and compared to controls. The analgesic effect of the extract was evaluated using the hot-plate test in 42 male albino mice. Results The extract of A. arbusculinus gum decreased the rat paw edema in a dose-dependent manner. The effect on inflammation of the highest dose of extract was comparable to sodium salicylate. Astragalus arbusculinus gum extract at doses of 300 and 1000 mg/kg showed analgesic effects comparable to sodium salicylate and morphine, respectively. A preliminary phytochemical study and the determination of the total phenolic content of the gum extract were performed for the first time. Conclusions The aqueous extract of A. arbusculinus gum reduced the inflammation and pain in a dose-dependent manner and is a good candidate for further studies of safety and efficacy. The clarification of active components of the plant is necessary.