Title:Anti-Neuropathic Pain Activity of Ageratum conyzoides L due to the Essential Oil Components
Volume: 20
Issue: 2
Author(s): Yedy Purwandi Sukmawan, Kusnandar Anggadiredja and I Ketut Adnyana*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, West Java,Indonesia
Keywords:
Ageratum conyzoides L, anti-neuropathic pain, essential oil component, neuropathic pain, metabolites, steam distillation.
Abstract:
Background: Neuropathic pain is one of the contributors to the global burdens of illness.
At present many patients do not achieve satisfactory pain relief even with synthetic painkillers.
Taking this into consideration, it is necessary to search for natural product-derived alternative
treatment with confirmed safety and efficacy. Ageratum conyzoides L is a plant often used as
an analgesic in Indonesia, however, anti-neuropathic pain activity of this plant is still unknown.
Objective: To determine the anti-neuropathic pain activity of the essential oil and non-essential oil
component (distillation residue) of A. conyzoides L.
Methods: We conducted the separation of the essential oil component from other secondary
metabolites through steam distillation. Both components were tested for anti-neuropathic pain activity
using chronic constriction injury animal models with thermal hyperalgesia and allodynia tests.
The animals were divided into 7 test groups, namely normal, sham, negative, positive (pregabalin
at 0.195 mg/20 g BW of mice), essential oil component (100 mg/kg BW), and non-essential oil
component (100 mg/kg BW). Naloxone was tested against the most potent anti-neuropathic pain
component (essential oil or non-essential oil) to investigate the involvement of opioid receptors.
Results: The GC-MS of the essential oil component indicated the presence of 60 compounds.
Meanwhile, non-essential oil components include alkaloid, flavonoid, polyphenol, quinone,
steroid, and triterpenoid. This non-essential oil component contained a total flavonoid equivalent to
248.89 ppm quercetin. The anti-neuropathic pain activity test showed significantly higher activity
of the essential oil component compared to the non-essential oil component and negative groups
(p<0.05). Furthermore, the essential oil component showed equal activity to pregabalin (p>0.05).
However, this activity was abolished by naloxone, indicating the involvement of the opioid receptor
in the action of the essential oil component.
Conclusion: The essential oil component of A. conyzoides L is a potential novel substance for use
as anti-neuropathic pain.