Abstract

Background: Nowadays herbal therapy for pain relevance is the matter of considerable propensity. Artemisia sieberi Besser is one of the herbal medication which has been consider as a pain reliever in Iranian traditional medicine, which needs further scientific investigations. Objective: In this study the antinociceptive effect of hydro alcoholic Artemisia sieberi Besser extract (AE) was assessed by using formalin test in mice. Methods: 42 male mice were divided into 7 groups. Interaperitoneal administration of distilled water to control group, vehicle to negative sham group, 1, 2 mg/kg morphine to positive sham groups and 40, 400, and 4000 mg/kg AE to test groups were performed. 25 μl of 2 formalin was then injected into the plantar surface of animal's hind limb and the animal's pain behavior for one hour was assessed. Mean pain scores in each five minute time block calculated for each animal were statistically analyzed. Results: in acute phase mean pain score animals receiving 4000 mg/kg AE was significantly less than control groups p<0.05. the antinociceptive effect of AE was more prominent in the chronic phase so the analgesic effect of 4000 mg/kg AE was significantly more than 2 mg/kg. Conclusion: the data collected from this study indicates the analgesic effect of AE which is more significant in chronic phase and this effect may be due to anti-inflammatory ingredients in AE which needs to be more investigated.