Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Antinociceptive action of Achillea biebersteinii methanolic flower extract is mediated by interaction with cholinergic receptor in mouse pain models

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Inflammopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Achillea biebersteinii is a perennial aromatic herb that grows in the Mediterranean area. The leaves of this plant are used in foods as bittering and appetizing agents. In folk medicine, it is used for the treatment of stomachache and abdominal pain. In this study, the analgesic effect of A. biebersteinii methanolic flower extract was tested in three pain models, namely: writhing, tail-flick and paw-licking (formalin) tests. A. biebersteinii extract inhibited abdominal cramps produced by acetic acid. The effect of A. biebersteinii was better than that of 70 mg/kg indomethacin. In tail flick, A. biebersteinii extract increased latency at 30 min and was as effective as 100 mg/kg diclofenac sodium. In formalin test, A. biebersteinii extracts decreased paw-licking and flinching response in early and late phases. Atropine blocked the action of A. biebersteinii extract (300 mg/kg) in the late phase of formalin test as well as in writhing and tail-flick tests. GC–MS analysis revealed that ascaridole and iso-ascaridole were the main constituents of A. biebersteinii flower extract. In conclusion, this study shows for the first time that the antinociceptive effect of A. biebersteinii is mediated by the cholinergic receptor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abd-Alla HI, Shalaby NMM, Hamed MA, El-Rigal NS, Al-Ghamdi SN, Bouajila J (2016) Phytochemical composition, protective and therapeutic effect on gastric ulcer and a-amylase inhibitory activity of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. Arch Pharmacol Res 39(1):10–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abdel-Rahman RF, Alqasoumi SIB, El-Desoky AH, Solimand GA, Paré PW, Hegazy MEF (2015) Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-ulcerogenic potentials of Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk.). South Afr J Bot 98:122–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abotsi WKM, Lamptey SB, Afrane S, Boakye-Gyasi E, Umoh RU, Woode E (2016) An evaluation of the anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects of hydroethanol leaf extract of Albizia zygia in animal models. Pharm Biol 55:338–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abul-Husn NS, Sutak M, Milne B, Jhamandas K (2007) Augmentation of spinal morphine analgesia and inhibition of tolerance by low doses of mu- and delta-opioid receptor antagonists. Br J Pharmacol 151(6):877–887

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Afify EA, Alkreathy HM, Ali AS, Alfaifi HA, Khan LM (2017) Characterization of the antinociceptive mechanisms of khat extract (Catha edulis) in Mice. Front Neurol 8:69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmadi K, Wassim A, Ream N (2017) Evaluation of hypoglycemic effect of Achillea biebersteinii Afan., growing in Syria, in induced diabetic rats. Int J Pharm Phytochem Res 9(2):215–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Akkol EK, Koca U, Pesin I, Yilmazer D (2011) Evaluation of the wound healing potential of Achillea biebersteinii Afan (Asteraceae) by in vivo excision and incision models. Evid Based Complement Altern Med. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nep039

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Eisawi DM (1998) Field guide to wild flowers of Jordan and neighbouring countries, 1st edn. Jordan Press Foundation “Al Rai”, Amman

    Google Scholar 

  • Alikhanzade M, Tehranipour M, Khayatzade J (2014) The neuroprotective effect of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Achillea biebersteinii leaves on spinal motoneurons denegation after sciatic nerve compression in rats. Adv Herb Med 1(1):8–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Jaber HI, Hammad HM, Al-Qudah MA, Abaza IF, Al-humaidi JYG, Abu-Zarga MH, Afifi FU (2014) Volatile oil composition and antiplatelet activity of Jordanian Achillea biebersteinii collected at different growth stages. J Essent Oil Bear Plants 17(4):584–598

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bader A, Flamini G, Cioni PL, Morelli I (2003) Essential oil composition of Achillea santolina L. and Achillea biebersteinii Afan. collected in Jordan. Flavour Fragr J 18(1):36–38

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonjardim LR, Cunha ES, Guimarães AG, Santana MF, Oliveira MGB, Serafini MR, Araújo AAS, Antoniolli ÂR, Cavalcanti SCH, Santos MRV, Quintans-Júnior LJ (2012) Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of p-cymene in mice. Zeitschrift Fur Naturforschung C 67:15–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calado GP, Lopes AJ, Costa Junior LM, Lima F, Silva LA, Pereira WS, Amaral FM, Garcia JB, Cartágenes Mdo S, Nascimento FR (2015) Chenopodium ambrosioides L. reduces synovial inflammation and pain in experimental osteoarthritis. PLoS ONE 10(11):e0141886

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demirel MA, Suntar I, Ilhan M, Keles H, Akkol EK (2014) Experimental endometriosis remission in rats treated with Achillea biebersteinii Afan. histopathological evaluation and determination of cytokine levels. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 175:172–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erbay MŞ, Anıl S, Melikoğlu G (2017) Plants used as painkiller in folk medicine in turkey-i stomachache. Marmara Pharm J 21(4):741–755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia MD, Puerta R, Martinez S, Saenz MT (1997) Analgesic, antipyretic and antiinflammatory effects of Achillea ageratum. Phytother Res 11:376–379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghavami G, Sardari S, Shokrgozar MA (2010) Anticancerous potentials of Achillea species against selected cell lines. J Med Plants Res 4(22):2411–2417

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamad YS (2012) Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils hydrodistilled from five Achillea species growing in Jordan. Msc. Thesis, The University of Jordan

  • Hammad HM, Albu C, Matar SA, Litescu SC, Al Jaber HI, Abualraghib AS, Afif FU (2013) Biological activities of the hydro-alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. (Asteraceae) grown in Jordan. Afr J Pharm Pharmacol 7(25):1686–1694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudaib MM, Tawaha KA, Mohammad MK, Assaf AM, Issa AY, Alali FQ, Aburjai TA, Bustanji YK (2011) Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of the methanolic extracts of selected Jordanian medicinal plants. Pharm Mag 7:320–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iscan G, Kirimer N, Kurkcuoglu M, Arabaci T, Kupeli E, Baser KH (2006) Biological activity and composition of the essential oils of Achillea schischkinii Sosn. and Achillea aleppica Dc. subsp. aleppica. J Agric Food Chem 54:170–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karabay-Yavasoglu U, Karamenderes C, Baykan S, Apaydın S (2007) Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and acute toxicity of Achillea nobilis subsp. neilreichii extract in mice and rats. Pharm Biol 45:162–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kupeli E, Orhan I, Kusmenoglu S, Yesilada E (2007) Evaluation of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of five Anatolian Achillea species. Turk J Pharm Sci 4(2):89–99

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lauretti GR (2015) The evolution of spinal/epidural neostigmine in clinical application: thoughts after two decades. Saudi J Anest 9:71–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazandarani M, Osia N, Ghafourian M (2015) Antioxidant activity and ethnopharmacological survey of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea in traditional medicine of Golestan Province. Iran. Int J Women’s Health Reprod Sci 3(2):107–110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melo FHC, Rios ERV, Rocha NFM, Citó MCO, Fernandes ML, de Sousa DP, de Vasconcelos SMM, de Sousa FCF (2012) Antinociceptive activity of carvacrol (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol) in mice. J Pharm Pharmacol 64:1722–1729

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mirahmadi SF, Norouzi R (2017) Chemical composition, phenolic content, free radical scavenging and antifungal activities of Achillea biebersteinii. Food Biosci 18:53–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed AE-HH, Mohamed NS, Hamed AR, Hegazy M-EF (2016) Anti-inflammatory activity of highly oxygenated terpenoids from Achillea biebersteinii Afan. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C 71:429–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadhosseini M, Sarker SD, Akbarzadeh A (2017) Chemical composition of the essential oils and extracts of Achillea species and their biological activities: a review. J Ethnopharmacol 199:257–315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mojtahedin A, Tamaddonfard E, Zanbouri A (2009) Role of central muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the formalin-induced pain in rats. Indian J Pharmacol 41:144–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park S-H, Sim Y-B, Lee J-K, Kim S-M, Kang Y-J, Jung J-S, Suh H-W (2011) The analgesic effects and mechanisms of orally administered eugenol. Arch Pharm Res 34:501–507

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pires JM, Mendes FR, Negri G, Duarte-Almeida JM, Carlini EA (2009) Antinociceptive peripheral effect of Achillea millefolium L. and Artemisia vulgaris L.: both plants known popularly by brand names of analgesic drugs. Phytother Res 23(2):212–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radulovic NS, Dekic MS, Randelovic PJ, Stojanovic NM, Zarubica AR, Stojanovic-Radic ZZ (2012) Toxic essential oils: anxiolytic, antinociceptive and antimicrobial properties of the yarrow Achillea umbellata Sibth. et Sm. (Asteraceae) volatiles. Food Chem Toxicol 50(6):2016–2026

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rezin GT, Scaini G, Ferreira GK, Cardoso MR, Gonçalves CL, Constantino LS, Deroza PF, Ghedim FV, Valvassori SS, Resende WR, Quevedo J, Zugno AI, Streck EL (2012) Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity in brain and behavioral analysis in adult rats after chronic administration of fenproporex. Metab Brain Dis 27:453–458

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rigo FK, Rossato MF, Trevisan G, De Prá SD, Ineu RP, Duarte MB, de Castro Junior CJ, Ferreira J, Gomez MV (2017) PhKv a toxin isolated from the spider venom induces antinociception by inhibition of cholinesterase activating cholinergic system. Scand J Pain 17:203–210

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saeidnia S, Gohari AR, Kiuchi F, Honda G (2005) In vitro anti-epimastigote activity of some Iranian medicinal plants. Iran J Pharm Res 2:101–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Saeidnia S, Gohari AR, Mokhber-Dezfuli N, Kiuchi F (2011) A review on phytochemistry and medicinal properties of the genus Achillea. DARU J Pharm Sci 19:173–186

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sevindik HG, Güvenalp Z, Yerdelen KÖ, Yuca H, Demirezer LÖ (2015) Research on drug candidate anticholinesterase molecules from Achillea biebersteinii Afan using by molecular docking and in vitro methods. Med Chem Res 24:3794–3802

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zengin G, Aktumsek A, Ceylan R, Uysal S, Mocan A, Guler GO, Mahomoodally F, Glamocilija J, Ciric A, Sokovic M (2017) Shedding the light on biological and chemical fingerprints of three Achillea species (A. biebersteinii, A. millefolium and A. teretifolia. Food Func 8(3):1152–1165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, 19328, Jordan

    Sahar M. Jaffal & Manal A. Abbas

Authors
  1. Sahar M. Jaffal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manal A. Abbas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manal A. Abbas.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jaffal, S.M., Abbas, M.A. Antinociceptive action of Achillea biebersteinii methanolic flower extract is mediated by interaction with cholinergic receptor in mouse pain models. Inflammopharmacol 27, 961–968 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-018-0524-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-018-0524-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation