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Abstract
Medicinal plants are believed to be an important source of new chemical substances
with potential therapeutic effects. The research into plants with alleged folklore
use as pain relievers should therefore be viewed as a fruitful and logical research
strategy in the search of new analgesic drugs. In the present inquiry, antinociceptive
effects of Premna tomentosa (PT) leaf extract (in methanol) were explored in experimental
animals by acetic acid-induced writhing, tail flick and tail clip tests. Oral administration
of PT extract at different doses (100, 200, 400 and 500 mg/kg) led to significant
antinociceptive effects. The extract was also tested for hypnotic effects. Treatment
with extracts at different doses (100, 200, 400 and 500 mg/kg) decreased the locomotor
activity and potentiated the pentobarbitone-induced sleep time. The responses were
dose-dependent. On the basis of the present finding, we can conclude that PT possesses
antinociceptive and hypnotic activities.