Analgesic effect of Centaurium erythraea and molecular docking investigation of the major component swertiamarin

Centaurium erythraea Rafn is employed in Algerian traditional medicine for treating pain. The analgesic activity of the ethanolic extract (EE) from the flowering aerial parts of this plant was examined, and molecular docking of the main bioactive compound was performed. The EE, characterized by the iridoid swertiamarin, was administered to Wistar albino rats in pain models. Peripheral analgesic activity was evaluated using the acetic acid-induced writhing test, and a hot plate test was performed for central antinociceptive activity evaluation. Treatment with EE significantly decreased rats' writhing induced by acetic acid suggesting peripheral analgesic activity. Furthermore, the elevation of mean basal reaction time in the hot plate method indicated central analgesic activity. Molecular docking studies showed good docking energy with acceptable binding interactions of swertiamarin with cyclooxygenase-2 protein. This supports the analgesic activity of C. erythraea EE, justifying the traditional use of the plant as an analgesic herbal remedy.