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Abstract

Background and Objective: Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is a well-known traditional herbal medicine that has been widely used for several centuries. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of Panax ginseng in the treatment of acute transient pain. Materials and Methods: Thirty male mice (age: 12-13 weeks, weight: 25-34 g) were divided into five groups (n = 6 per group). The animals in the control group received a single-dose injection of sterile water. The diclofenac group received 5 mg kg&#150;1 diclofenac. Each of the remaining three animal groups received different doses of Panax ginseng (150, 250 and 350 mg kg&#150;1) by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. The animals were observed for 2 days to record the experimental findings and mortality. Results: Hot-plate and writhing tests showed that treatment with Panax ginseng and diclofenac had an analgesic effect compared to the control treatment. Furthermore, the analgesic effect was significant in the diclofenac and Panax ginseng groups after 3 hours (p<0.05) but not in the first 3 hrs of the treatments. The result did not affect the survival rate of the animals during the experiments. Conclusion: Panax ginseng treatment had an analgesic effect in male mice, as found in the hot plate and writhing tests, which suggested that it is a potential analgesic treatment.