The present study was carried out to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of the ethanolic extract of Desmodium gangeticum leaves. We evaluate the ethanolic extract against thermal (Eddy’s hot-plate & Tail flick test) and chemical (Acetic acid & Formalin) induced nociceptive response as well as anti-inflammatory activity against Carageenan induced paw oedema. The oral administration of DG extract (50, 100, 200mg/kg), positive control morphine (5mg/kg i.p.) and aspirin (300mg/kg o.p.) inhibited acetic acidinduced writhing by 25.92%, 55.12%, 68.13%, 85.61% and 72.19% (P<0.05), respectively. The highest dose of the DG extract increases the latency period by 37.65% in Eddy’s hot-plate and 28.26% (P < 0.05) in tail fick test. In formalin induced nociceptive pain, 200mg/kg dose of extract inhibits 29.67% (P < 0.05) of neurogenic pain and in late inflammatory phase as compared to diclofenac (45.31%) & indomethacin (44.39%), DG extract shows 30.87%(100mg/kg), 42.78%(200mg/kg) inhibition. In carageenan induced paw oedema model, DG extract shows 15.68% (50mg/kg), 24.5% (100mg/kg) and 45.09% (200mg/kg) inhibition after 6h, where indomethacin shows 51.96%. After 24h, 200mg/kg extract dose and indomethacin were equipotent by inhibiting 43.86 %, 46.57%, respectively. These results indicate the presence of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive principles in the ethenolic extract of Desmodium gangeticum, and reinforce the plant’s potential therapeutic use against pain and inflammatory diseases.
