Potential of Cacao Extract as a Natural Adjuvant Analgesic in Burn Injury: Integrating Behavioral and Molecular Findings
Keywords:
analgesia, burn injury, cocoa , IL-1β, iNOSAbstract
Background: Burn injuries cause extensive tissue damage and trigger systemic inflammatory responses characterized by elevated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels. These mediators sensitize nociceptors and activate multiple pain transduction pathways, leading to hyperalgesia. Conventional multimodal analgesia combining opioids and NSAIDs is effective but limited by gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and dependence-related adverse effects. Cocoa (Theobroma cacao), rich in flavanols and polyphenols, exhibits anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, offering potential as a natural adjuvant analgesic.
Methods: This experimental study used a randomized post-test only control group design with fifteen male Wistar rats (6–8 weeks, 160–180 g) divided into three groups (n=5): Group I (control) received placebo, Group II received tramadol 12.5 mg/kgBW + ibuprofen 15 mg/kgBW, and Group III received tramadol 12.5 mg/kgBW + cocoa extract 0.5 g/kgBW. A second-degree burn injury was induced. After 24 hours, mechanical pain threshold was assessed using the Von Frey test, and serum levels of iNOS and IL-1β were measured using ELISA.
Results: There is significant differences in Von Frey scores and serum inflammatory markers among groups, revealed that both tramadol–ibuprofen and tramadol–cocoa groups showed significantly higher pain thresholds and lower serum iNOS and IL-1β levels compared to control with no significant difference between cocoa and ibuprofen groups.
Conclusion: Cocoa extract, when used as an adjuvant, exhibits analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that are comparable to those of ibuprofen in experimental models of burn-induced pain.
Major Findings: Cocoa extract as adjuvant provides analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects comparable to ibuprofen in burn-induced pain models. These findings suggest cocoa may serve as a promising natural alternative in multimodal analgesia for burn-related pain management.
