DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY
COMSATS UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD,
LAHORE CAMPUS
EXPERIMENT NO. 07
Study the analgesic effect of a drug using Eddy’s Hot
plate analgesiometer in rats
Aim: To study the analgesic effect of a test drug using Eddy’s hot plate method
Principle: Basic principle involved in this method is to elicit pain using hot plate and observe
the reaction time of animals before and after the administration of test drug. Animals are
individually placed on a hot plate maintained at a constant temperature (55 ⸰C) and the reaction
time such as hind paw licking or jumping is taken as the end point. A significant increase in the
reaction time after the administration of drug indicates the analgesic effect of the drug.
This method was described by Eddy and Leimbach in 1953
Apparatus requirements
Animals (rats or mice)
Propranolol
Measuring beaker
Oral gavage tube
3ml syringe
Procedure
Weigh and number the mice
Place the animals on hot plate maintained at (55 C). Due to pain produced by the heat,
animal will lick their hind paw or jump (which ever appears first) in an attempt to escape.
Note this as the basal reaction time (is the interval time between placing the animal on hot
plate and licking of hind paw or jumping).
Normally animals show such a reaction in 6-8 seconds
A cut off period of 15 seconds is observed to avoid damage to paws.
Now administer the drug to animals with the help of an oral gavage tube after calculating
the dose according to the body weight of animal.
Then check the reaction time of the animals on the hot plate at 10, 20, 30 and 60min after
the drug administration
Calculate the % increase in reaction time (as index of analgesia)
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY
COMSATS UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD,
LAHORE CAMPUS
If the reaction time is increased by at least 7 seconds it indicates the analgesic effect of the
drug
Sr No Animal Basal Reaction time Reaction time after
Weight treatment
Paw lick Jump(sec) Paw lick Jump (sec)
1.
2.
3.
4
