The aqueous leaf, stem – bark, seed and fruit pericarp extracts of
Pentaclethra macrophylla
were examined for their cytotoxicity,
while only the leaves and seeds were tested for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities using
in-vivo and
in-vitro experimental models.
Cytotoxicity haemagglutination assay revealed the following order of toxicity among the plant parts: fruit pericarp > stem - bark > seed >
leaf with 71.4, 25.6, 5.3, and 0.5 haemagglutination titre values respectively. The extracts at 30 and 60 mg/kg exhibited analgesic activity
and anti-inflammatory property using the flick and hot plate tests, acetic acid induced writhing test; and leucocyte counts, pulmonary oedema
and oedema paw of mice in a dose-dependent manner. These findings therefore explain and justify ethnomedical uses of
Pentaclethra macrophylla
in the treatment of itching (inflammatory response) and pain in animals and in man.
