Abstract
Background: Curcuma amada rhizome is an indigenously used medicine to treat all kinds of prurigo, bronchitis, asthma, biliousness, diarrhea, hiccough, inflammations due to injuries, and lumbago.

Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study are to assess the skeletal muscle relaxant activity of hydroalcoholic extract of C. amada rhizome in Wistar rats.

Materials and Methods: Extract was prepared according to the method of Rosenthaler using Soxhlet apparatus. Toxicity studies from previous literature had already proved the safety of the drug. The research was carried out following approval from the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. The Wistar rats were orally administered with doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg of the extract. The muscle relaxant action was assessed by rotarod method. Data analysis involved the use of paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 16.

Results: The fall off time was significantly reduced when administering extracts with doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg (paired t-test, P < 0.001) compared to the control group, which consisted of the same animals before the administration of the test drug. The results when evaluated using ANOVA showed F = 16.203, P < 0.001. Dunnett’s test was utilized for post hoc analysis, revealing a notable change in muscle relaxation induced by the 200 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg doses of extract.

Conclusion: Findings of our study substantiate the use of C. amada rhizome for its skeletal muscle relaxant property in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions.

Key words: Curcuma amada; Muscle Relaxant; Rotarod; Soxhlet Apparatus; Wistar Rats