Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the essential oil from Eremanthus erythropappus leaves

• Published in: Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology Vol. 60; no. 6; p. 771
• Main Authors: Sousa, Orlando V, Silvério, Marcelo S, Del-Vechio-Vieira, Glauciemar, Matheus, Filipe C, Yamamoto, Célia H, Alves, Maria S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.06.2008
• Subjects: Analgesics - administration & dosage; Analgesics - isolation & purification; Analgesics - pharmacology; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Asteraceae - chemistry; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Inflammation - drug therapy; Lethal Dose 50; Male; Medicine, Traditional; Mice; Oils, Volatile - administration & dosage; Oils, Volatile - isolation & purification; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Pain - drug therapy; Pain Measurement; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves; Rats; Rats, Wistar
• ISSN: 0022-3573
• DOI: 10.1211/jpp.60.6.0013

The chemical composition of the essential oil from air-dried leaves of Eremanthus erythropappus was studied. The main compounds were beta-pinene (23.24%), beta-caryophyllene (22.92%), beta-myrcene (10.03%) and germacrene D (9.40%). The essential oil had an LD50 of 2.90 g kg(-1) in mice. Doses of 200 and 400 mg kg(-1) inhibited 10.69% and 27.06% of acetic-acid-induced writhing in mice, respectively. In the formalin-induced nociception test in mice, the essential oil inhibited the first phase of paw licking by 29.13% (400 mg kg(-1)) and the second phase by 32.74% (200 mg kg(-1)) and 37.55% (400 mg kg(-1)). In the hot-plate test in mice, doses of 200 mg kg(-1) and 400 mg kg(-1) significantly increased the reaction time after 30, 60 and 90 min of treatment. Doses of 200 and 400 mg kg(-1) inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats by 15.18% and 36.61%, respectively. Doses of 200 and 400 mg kg(-1) administered 4 h before intrapleural injection of carrageenan significantly reduced exudate volume (by 20.20% and 48.70%, respectively) and leucocyte mobilization (by 5.88% and 17.29%, respectively). These results demonstrate that E. erythropappus has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, supporting the use of this plant in folk medicine.