The Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Shark Cartilage Are Due to a Peptide Molecule and Are Nitric Oxide (NO) System Dependent

• Published in: Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin Vol. 20; no. 11; pp. 1151 - 1154
• Main Authors: FONTENELE, Juvenia Bezerra, ARAUJO, Glaucia Bezerra, ALENCAR, Jose Wilson de, Glauce Socorro de Barros VIANA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 01.11.1997; Maruzen; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Analgesics; Analgesics - chemistry; Analgesics - metabolism; Analgesics - pharmacology; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - chemistry; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - metabolism; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - pharmacology; anti-inflammatory effect; antinociception; Biological and medical sciences; Bones, joints and connective tissue. Antiinflammatory agents; Capillary Permeability - drug effects; Cartilage - chemistry; Chondrichthyes; Chromatography, Gel; Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Drug Interactions; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Histamine - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Neuropharmacology; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester - pharmacology; nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Serotonin - pharmacology; shark cartilage; Sharks; Serotonin; Psychotropic; Rodentia; Antiinflammatory agent; Shark; Permeability; Catecholamine; Radical scavenger; Biological activity; Protein; Free radical; Cartilage; Histamine; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Analgesic; Mouse; Animal; Nitric oxide; Blood vessel; Circulatory system; Sedative; Mechanism of action; Thalidomide
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.20.1151

The present work shows an antinociceptive and dose-dependent effect of shark cartilage hydrosoluble fraction (HF) on writhing and formalin tests in mice. The effect was not altered by thalidomide, a known inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-alfa) synthesis. Similarly, the antinosiceptive effect did not change in the presence of naloxone, indicating that the opioid system is not involved. However, the effect observed was blocked by L-arginine, a NO synthesis substrate, and it was potentiated by L-NAME, suggesting a role of the NO system in the shark cartilage antinociceptive effect. Effects similar to those seen with the HF were detected with peak II from gel filtration chromatography. The increase in vascular permeability induced by serotonin in rats was significantly abolished by the HF at the dose of 2 mg/kg, p.o., and again it was not potentiated by thalidomide. The observed blockade in the vascular permeability increase induced by histamine was detected only with a higher dose (10 mg/kg, p.o.).