Antinociceptive effects of Treculia africana decne (african breadfruit) seed lectin in Wistar rats

The aim: The use of synthetic compounds to treat many diseases must be strictly controlled due to their potential health hazards. Hence, there is a need to search for natural products to serve as safe alternatives to synthetic products. This study investigated the antinociceptive effects and anti-inflammatory activities of Treculia africana seed lectin. Materials and methods: Lectins were purified from Treculia africana seeds using ion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. The antinociceptive activity of the lectin was assessed in Wistar rats using abdominal writhing and paw-licking tests induced by acetic acid and formalin, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using carrageenan-induced paw oedema. Results: Treculia africana seed lectins at 10 mg/kg (p.o.) produced sedation, reduced ambulation, reduced response to touch, analgesia, and decreased defecation in experimental animals. Administration of Treculia africana seed lectin (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) in experimental animals significantly reduced (P < 0.05) acetic acid-induced muscular writhing in a dose-dependent manner with 23.88 and 36.80 per cent inhibition, respectively. Both early and late phases of formalin-induced nociception were significantly inhibited (P < 0.001) by the lectin at all doses (0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mg/kg), comparably with the standard drug, diclofenac sodium. At 10 mg/kg, T. africana lectin caused a 69.12 % and 65.55 % reduction in both early and late phases of formalin-induced paw licking. Treculia africana lectin also significantly brought about a reduction (P < 0.05) in inflammation induced by sub-plantar injection of carrageenan as measured by a decrease in paw swollenness. Conclusion: The study showed that Treculia africana lectin possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties and can potentially be employed therapeutics to ameliorate pain and inflammation