Antinociceptive and anthelmintic activity of Canna indica.

Dried, coarsely powdered leaves, flowers, rhizomes and seeds of Canna indica were successively extracted with benzene and methanol in Soxhlet apparatus. The effect of benzene and methanol extracts of various parts of C. indica on nociceptive response using writhing test and hot plate method in mice was examined. All the extracts of C. indica showed significant central and peripheral analgesic activity in hot plate method and acetic acid-induced writhing test, respectively, at the dose of 50 mg kg(-1) intraperitoneally. Methanolic extract of leaves of C. indica showed highest increase in reaction time in hot plate method while benzene extract of leaves of C. indica showed more inhibitory effect on writhing induced by acetic acid. Anthelmintic activity of these extracts was evaluated on Pheritima posthuma. Results showed that the methanolic extract of rhizomes of the plant took less time to cause paralysis of the earthworms.