Anti-inflammatory Activities of Total Leaf Extracts of Ficus sycomorus L. (Moraceae) used in Traditional Medicine in the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease

Background: This study has been carried out to evaluate the in vivo anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-pyretic effects of an aqueous decoction and ethanol extract (95%) of Ficus sycomorus leaves. Methods : The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by the carrageenan-induced mice paw oedema model. The non-morphine type analgesic effect was evaluated trough acetic acid-induced writhing test. The morphine type analgesic activity was tested by mouse tail–flick test. The anti-pyretic activity was tested by induced hyperthermia in mice with brewer's yeast. Data analysis used the one way ANOVA test. Results: The anti-inflammatory effects of the two extracts, at doses of 300 and 500 mg/kg b.w., were dose dependent and comparable to those of the reference controls, indomethacin (1 mg/kg b.w.) and hydrocortisone (10 mg/kg b.w.). At the same dose, the analgesic effect of the ethanol extract on abdominal writhings induced by acetic acid, was comparable to those Lysine acetylsalicylate (LAS, 300 mg/kg b.w) and hydrocortisone (10 mg/kg b.w.) used as controls. As for the morphine type analgesic effects of the two extracts tested at doses of 300 and 500 mg / kg both were significantly higher in comparison with the blank control (p th minute. The antipyretic activity of the extracts at the same doses was comparable to those of the LAS (300 mg/ kg b.w.) and hydrocortisone (10 mg/kg b.w.) from the third hour. Conclusion: The results obtained justify the use of the plant in traditional medicine and show the significance of Ficus sycomorus leaves in the search for new anti-inflammatory molecules in the treatment of sickle cell disease. Key words: Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic, Antipyretic, Antinociceptive, Ficus sycomorus , Sickle cell disease.