Experimental evaluation of antipyretic and analgesic activities of Amalakyadi Gana: An Ayurvedic formulation

INTRODUCTION: In Ayurvedic classics, the symptom fever is considered as a separate disease called Jwara. Acharya Sushruta has mentioned Amalakyadi Gana for treatment of all types of Jwara, which contains four drugs namely Amalaki (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula Retz.), Pippali (Piper longum L.), and Chitraka (Plumbago zeylenica L.). AIMS: To evaluate the antipyretic and analgesic activity of Amalakyadi Gana in experimental animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Decoction and alcohol soluble extract of Amalakyadi Gana were used in the present study. Antipyretic activity of dosage forms were carried out against yeast-induced pyrexia in Wistar albino rats. Analgesic activity was evaluated using radiant heat model and formalin induced paw licking in Wistar albino rats. RESULTS: In yeast-induced pyrexia model, both dosage forms of test drug produced marked decrease in rectal temperature after 3 h, 6 h, and 9 h among which extract produced statistically significant decrease after 6 h compared to control group. In the tail flick method, both forms of test drug showed insignificant increase in tail flick response after 180 and 240 min compared to control group and in formalin induced paw liking model decoction form of test drug significantly increased the latency of onset of paw licking and decreased the paw licking in early phase while alcoholic extract produced insignificant effect compared to control group. CONCLUSION: Decoction and alcoholic extract of Amalakyadi Gana has moderate antipyretic activity in rats, which may be due to inhibition of the synthesis and/or release of local PGE(2). Further, Amalakyadi Gana has mild analgesic effect through central and peripheral mechanism. The result of the present study provide further scope for development of new palatable dosage form and tested clinically for better efficacy.