Analgesic efficacy and subacute toxicity of Moroccan Aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extract in a chronic constriction injury mouse model of neuropathic pain.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional medicine plays a crucial role in global healthcare, offering plant-based remedies that are often more accessible and better tolerated than synthetic drugs. Moringa oleifera is widely used for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the phytochemical composition, subacute toxicity, and antinociceptive effects of an aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera (AEMO) in a neuropathic pain model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phytochemical profiling of AEMO was performed using HPLC-UV/PDA. Subacute toxicity was assessed in Swiss albino mice orally treated with AEMO (30, 175, and 350 mg/kg) for 28 days. Neuropathic pain was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. CCI mice received daily AEMO for 21 days, and behavioral tests (hot plate, acetone, von Frey, walking track) were conducted on days 0, 1, 7, 14, and 21. Histological analysis of the sciatic nerve, liver, and kidney supported behavioral and biochemical findings. RESULTS: HPLC confirmed 15 compounds, with quercetin (21.25 %), kaempferol (20.06 %), and rutin (10.18 %) as the most abundant. Subacute AEMO caused no toxicity in biochemical markers (p > 0.05) or histology. In the CCI model, AEMO dose-dependently improved nociceptive and functional outcomes: hot plate latency increased from 4.0 ± 0.4 s in CCI mice to 6.0 ± 0.1, 7.0 ± 0.2, and 7.7 ± 0.1 s for 30, 175, and 350 mg/kg, respectively; mechanical threshold increased from 0.513 ± 0.07 g to 1.238 ± 0.14, 1.4 ± 0.04, and 1.7 ± 0.08 g; and Sciatic Functional Index improved from -80 ± 5 to -59 ± 2, -50 ± 1, and -45 ± 5. Clomipramine (5 mg/kg) produced comparable improvements. CONCLUSION: AEMO is rich in bioactive compounds, safe for subacute use, and demonstrates significant antinociceptive activity with preservation of nerve histology, supporting its traditional use and potential as a natural analgesic.