This study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperalgesia and antioxidant activity of the hydro-alcoholic stem bark extract of Macaranga barteri (MBE). The carrageenan-induced foot oedema and Hargreaves thermal hyperalgesia models in rats were used to examine the anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic effects respectively. The 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacity assays were used to determine the antioxidant activity. In a curative protocol, MBE (30, 100, 300 mg kg^-1, p.o.) dose dependently and significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced foot oedema by 37.01 ± 13.08, 53.01 ± 9.87 and 64.11 ± 9.05% respectively (ED₅₀ = 89.37 ± 7.52 mg kg^-1). The extract further attenuated cutaneous hyperalgesia by prolonging paw withdrawal latencies towards an external heat stimulus with an ED₅₀ of 105.5 ± 4.22 mg kg^-1. MBE was found to possess a total antioxidant capacity of 531.62 ± 10.98 mg g^-1 dry weight (Gallic acid equivalent) and scavenged DPPH free radicals with an IC₅₀ of 19.45 ± 1.46 µg/mL. The results provide the first report on the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant activity of M. barteri stem bark and partly justify its traditional use in the management of inflammation and pain. This could be attributed to phytochemicals such as tannins, terpenoids, sterols, coumarins and flavonoids which were identified in preliminary phytochemical studies of the stem bark.

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