RESUMEN
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Smilax ornata Lem. is used in folklore medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatic pain. This particular claim has never been scientifically validated before in this plant species and hence, it forms the reason for this investigation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Smilax ornata Lem. possess anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in Sprague-Dawley rats. METHODS: The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities were investigated using carrageenan-induced paw oedema model and the tail-flick model respectively. RESULTS: The methanol extracts (200 and 400â¯mg/kg) and the ethyl acetate extract (400â¯mg/kg) exhibited significant (Pâ¯<â¯0.05) anti-inflammatory activity when compared with that of their control groups (saline and vegetable oil respectively), with an onset of 150â¯min and a duration of 2.5â¯h. The methanol extract (200â¯mg/kg) exhibited significant (Pâ¯<â¯0.05) analgesic activity, with an onset of 60â¯min and a duration of 2â¯h. Also, the methanol and the ethyl acetate extracts (400â¯mg/kg) exhibited significant (Pâ¯<â¯0.05) analgesic activity when compared with that of their control groups (saline and vegetable oil respectively), with an onset of 30â¯min and a duration of 2.5â¯h. CONCLUSION: The present study provided scientific justification that the extracts of Smilax ornata Lem. possess significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities.