Antinociceptive Activity of Malva sylvestris L.

SUMMARY. The antinociceptive activity of Malva sylvestris (Malvaceae) aqueous extract (10 mg/kg, i.p.) was evaluated against classical models of pain in mice, indicating promising results. It showed significant antinociceptive activity in writhing test (76.4 % of inhibition) and also inhibited the neurogenic (61.8%) and inflammatory (46.6%) phases of the formalin model. When analysed against capsaicin-induced pain model, the aqueous extract was also effective with inhibition of 62.9%, but it did not cause significant ac-tivity against hot-plate model. The results suggest that the antinociception caused by aqueous extract is re-lated to the inhibition of prostaglandins synthesis pathway cyclooxygenase and unrelated to the stimula-tion of the opioid receptors