Anti-nociceptive activity of methanol leaf extract of Terminalia mollis Laws. (Combretaceae) in rodents: possible involvement of KATP channel and opioidergic pathway

Terminalia mollis (Family: Combretaceae) is used in ethno-medicine as an inflammatory and analgesic agent. This study investigated the analgesic activity of methanol extract of T. mollis leaves (METM) in rodents and its potential mechanism of action. Phytochemical investigation of METM was done, followed by acute toxicity study in mice and rats. METM was subjected to anti-nociceptive studies (thermal nociception, acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin tests) at doses of 150-600 mg/kg. Phyto-constituents present include anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, saponins, steroids, flavonoids, tannins and triterpenes. The oral median lethal dose was >2000 mg/kg in mice and rats. METM notably (p