Evaluation of Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Essential Oil Extract from Salvia leucantha in Experimental Animal

This study investigates the analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of Salvia leucantha (Mexican bush sage), a medicinal plant traditionally used for its therapeutic properties. The aerial parts of the plant were collected, shade-dried, and subjected to maceration using 95% ethanol to obtain a crude ethanolic extract. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of bioactive constituents such as flavonoids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, and phenolic compounds—known for their pharmacological relevance. The extract was evaluated for analgesic activity using Eddy’s hot plate and acetic acid-induced writhing models in Swiss albino mice, and for anti-inflammatory activity using the carrageenan-induced paw oedema model in Wistar albino rats. The results demonstrated a significant increase in pain threshold and a marked reduction in inflammatory response in a dose- dependent manner. The efficacy of the extract was found to be comparable to standard reference drugs such as diclofenac and indomethacin. These findings suggest that the ethanolic extract of Salvia leucantha holds promising analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, potentially offering a safer alternative to conventional NSAIDs.