Evaluation of Phytochemical Composition, Safety Profile, Analgesic Properties, and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Ethanol Extract of Allium fistulosum L.

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the phytochemical, safety profile, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects of A. fistulosum. Allium fistulosum, a perennial herb in the genus Allium of the Alliaceae family, is used widely as an ingredient in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisine. In addition, A. fistulosum has been traditionally applied to treat common colds, headache, abdominal pain, and cardiovascular disease. A total of 50 mice were separated into five groups. Group 1 animals were given, 5 ml/kg of normal saline orally, whereas groups 2, 3, and 4 were given Ethanol extract of A. fistulosum at a dose of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg, respectively. Animals of group 5 were administered the standard drug Aspirin at a dose of 300 mg/kg orally. Aspirin 300 mg/kg was given orally as a standard drug to a group of 5 animals. An anti-inflammatory effect was carried out on 50 rats. 1% carrageenan was used to induce edema in the paw. Group 1 acted as a control group whereas the other three groups received A. fistulosum at a dose of 200, 400, and, 600 mg/kg. The fifth group was given the standard drug Ibuprofen. The components of the ethanol extract of A. fistulosum were identified using the phytochemical analysis. The screening shows the presence of pharmacologically potent substances such flavonoids, sugars, amino acids, glycosides, phenols, and tannins. The present study revealed that the therapeutic plant reduces pain in all three doses when compared with the animal that received normal saline. The ethanol extracts of A.fistulosum showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect from 2 hrs to 24 hrs. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of A.fistulosum at 400mg/kg was highly significant at 5 hours, while the anti-inflammatory effect of A.fistulosum at 600mg/kg showed highly significant at 5hr and 24 hours.

The safety profile of A. fistulosum was accessed by Lorke’s method which was found safe at the treated dose. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties could be attributed to the presence of various phytochemical substances. Although more studies are required with an increased sample size since very limited information is available to date.