BACKGROUND

Sambucus palmensis Link is an endemic species of the Canary Islands, popularly known as "Saúco canario". This species has wide use in folk medicine practice on the islands, especially as analgesic and anti-inflammatory. So the aim of our study is to evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of an aqueous extract of this species.

METHODS

Three aqueous extract doses (35, 52.5 and 70 mg/kg) were orally administered to laboratory Swiss mice obtained from the Central Animal House of La Laguna University. Writhing responses induced by phenylquinone, formalin induced paw pain response, tail-flick test and paw edema induced by carrageenan were evaluated in this work.

RESULTS

Oral pretreatment with 52.5 and 70 mg/kg Sambucus palmensis aqueous extract significantly reduced the writhing number induced by phenylquinone injection (61.64 and 89.04% respectively), and the pain response in the first (36.67 and 38.89%) and second (57.28 and 70.1%) phases respectively of the formalin test. Sambucus palmensis had a very slight effect on tail-flick test and inhibited moderately the edema formation induced by carrageenan in mice.

CONCLUSIONS

These data show for the first time that Sambucus palmensis has a significant antinociceptive effect that seems to be more peripherical than central. Sambucus palmensis also displays a moderate anti-inflammatory activity in an acute inflammation model. These results support the widespread use of Sambucus palmensis in popular medicine to treat pain and inflammation.