Analgesic and neuropharmacological activities of Berberis lycium Royle collected from district Sherani Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Berberis lycium (family Berberidaceae) grows in district Sherani, Balochistan, Pakistan. It is used for the treatment of various disorders by the people of Balochistan. The present work was carried out to explore analgesic and neuropharamcological activities of crude methanolic extracts of B. lyceum. The analgesic activity was carried out by acetic acid induced writhing test and formalin test. Open field test, cage crossing test, rearing test, traction test and forced swimming test were carried out in neuropharmacological activities. The results reveal that crude methanolic extracts of B. lyceum showed significant (P<0.05) analgesic activity in acetic acid induced pain as well as with formalin test. In neuropharmacological activities, crude methanolic extracts of B. lyceum showed significant (P<0.05) central nervous system depressant activity and in forced swimming test it showed anxiolytic effects.