Anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential of Tamarindus indica Linn. (Fabaceae): a narrative review. - GreenMedInfo Summary

Chronic inflammation is one of the causes of a number of non-infectious diseases in the world. Over the years,has played fundamental roles in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug. It is a commercialized biocompatible medicinal plant species with a wide range of therapeutic window and with suggested LD50 greater than 5000 mg kgbody weight when administered to the Wistar rats. This review examined the anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential and mechanism of various extracts frompulp, leaves, seeds, stem bark, and roots. The preclinical studies provided strong pharmacological evidence for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the different parts ofand this may be attributed to the various bioactive compounds in it including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, saponins, and steroids. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the extracts from the different parts ofmay be due to its ability to inhibit a number of biological processes including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), 5-lipoxygenase biosynthesis, and tumor necrosis factor-α. The analgesic activity ofmay also be through the activation of the opioidergic mechanism at both the peripheral and central levels. Although further pre-clinical studies still need to be conducted, these results demonstrated thathas potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities and hence provides justification for its use in traditional medicine to treat body pain and other inflammatory related diseases including arthritis and offers a basis for future clinical studies and possible drug development.