Introduction: Acorus calamus Linn. belonging to family Acoraceae, possess several benefits in neurological disorders but has not been studied for chronic constriction injury (CCI) of median nerve induced neuropathic pain. Damage to median nerve lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Objective was to evaluate the effects of ethanolic root extract of Acorus calamus (EAC) in CCI of median nerve induced neuropathic pain and WMSDs in rats.

Methods: Animals were randomly divided into 7 groups of 8 animals each. Group 1. Normal control, 2. Sham control, 3. CCI, 4. CCI+ vehicle (CMC), 5. CCI+gabapentin (50 mg/kg), 6. CCI+EAC (20 mg/kg), 7. CCI+EAC (40 mg/kg). On day 0, rats were subjected to the surgical procedure of exposure and ligation of median nerve produced CCI at the forearm level. The pain-sensitive tests, i.e., hot plate test, randall selitto test, functional test i.e., walking track analysis, were performed. Total protein, lipid peroxidation and histopathological changes were also estimated.

Results: CCI significantly increased thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia, raised median functional index (walking track analysis), and lead to disruptive effects on biochemicals and histopathology. Oral administration of EAC (40 mg/kg) and gabapentin (50 mg/kg) lowered CCI-induced nociceptive pain threshold and median nerve functional index significantly and histological alterations in the tissue were also reduced.

Conclusions: EAC has been found to decrease CCI-induced neuropathic pain of the median nerve, which may be due to its numerous activities, which include neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.