Synergistic analgesic, anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of extra virgin olive oil and ibuprofen in different experimental models of albino mice.

AIM: Olive oil was used in the past as a remedy for many diseases due to its unlimited benefits in health. This study was carried out to assess the analgesic, anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory activities of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) at a dose of 8 mL/kg body weight and to compare it with ibuprofen (IBU) as an individual drug therapy and in combination with two different doses of IBU (therapeutic dose 100 mg/kg and low dose 40 mg/kg), on different animal models in albino mice.

METHOD: A total of 132 adult healthy male Swiss albino mice were used in this study. The analgesic effect was assessed using acetic acid-induced writhing test. The antipyretic effect was evaluated by brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia, while the anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by two different models; the carrageenan-induced paw edema and the carrageenan-induced peritonitis in which the levels of total leukocyte count (TLC), neutrophil count, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interferon gamma (INF-γ) were measured in the peritoneal exudates.

RESULTS: The results revealed significant protection in all the treated groups; however, the combination of EVOO with IBU at its therapeutic dose showed superiority over the two compounds when used separately.

CONCLUSION: Using EVOO with the therapeutic dose of IBU showed synergistic effect in controlling the cardinal signs of acute inflammation rather than using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone.