Cassia occidentalis Linn (Caesalpiniaceae), a perennial plant of southern India, is an ayurvedic plant with huge medical importance. The ethanol and water extracts of Cassia occidentalis leaves were screened for antinociceptive activity using acetic acid induced writhing test, hot plate test and tail immersion test in mice. In a similar way a screening exercise was carried out to determine the antipyretic potential of the extract using yeast induced pyrexia method in rats. The ethanol and water extracts of Cassia occidentalis had significant (p<0.01) dose dependent antinociceptive and antipyretic properties at 150 and 300 mg/kg. ). The inhibition produced by the highest dose (300 mg/kg) of the extracts was significantly (PÃ?â??Ã?±0.01) lower than that by acetylsalicylic acid (100 mg/kg). Both the ethanolic and water extracts of Cassia occidentalis showed significant (PÃ?â??Ã?±0.01) effect on pyrexia induced by yeast .Hence present investigation reveals the antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of the ethanolic and water extracts of the leaves of Cassia occidentalis. This seems to provide a rationale for the use of this plant in pain and inflammatory disorders.
