Complete essential oils of Laurus nobilis inducing antinociceptive action by opioid mechanism in C-Reflex and spinal Wind-Up model in rat

This article is written in tribute to Dr. Claudio Laurido (RIP) died on October 2017, on the Third Anniversary of his Death

Abstract

The essential oil of Laurus nobilis L. was used to test their antinociceptive efficacy. It was applied intraperitoneally (i.p.) to rats subjected to a nociception test (C reflex and spinal wind-up). The results showed that the essential oil applied at higher doses (0.06 mg/Kg) causes a complete abolition of the spinal wind-up, while the C reflex was unchanged, indicating a clear antinociceptive effect. At lower concentrations (0.012 mg/Kg), there was a lowering in the wind-up by 85% within ten minutes of the essential i.p. oil application. Interestingly, there was an effect of naloxone (0.08 mg/Kg i.p.) When applied, a change occurs that almost entirely reversed the antinociception caused by the essential oil from Laurus nobilis. We conclude that there is a significant antinociceptive effect of the essential oil of Laurus nobilis subjected to electric nociception. In addition, it was observed that naloxone reversed the antinociceptive effect (windup) produced by Laurus nobilis.