Anti-inflammatory Activity of Crude Extract and Fractions of Nectandra falcifolia Leaves

• Published in: Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin Vol. 29; no. 11; pp. 2241 - 2245
• Main Authors: Melo, Juliana Oliveira de, Maria da Conceição Torrado Truiti, Muscará, Marcelo Nicolás, Bolonheis, Simone Marques, Dantas, Jailson Araujo, Caparroz-Assef, Silvana Martins, Cuman, Roberto Kenji Nakamura, Bersani-Amado, Ciomar Aparecida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 01.11.2006; Pharmaceutical Society of Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; anti-inflammatory; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - chemistry; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Carrageenan - administration & dosage; Carrageenan - toxicity; Croton Oil - administration & dosage; Croton Oil - toxicity; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - methods; Ear - pathology; ear edema; Edema - chemically induced; Edema - metabolism; Edema - prevention & control; Hindlimb - drug effects; Hindlimb - pathology; Indomethacin - pharmacology; Indomethacin - therapeutic use; Inflammation - chemically induced; Inflammation - metabolism; Inflammation - prevention & control; Injections, Intradermal; Lauraceae - chemistry; Male; Nectandra falcifolia; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; paw edema; Peroxidase - metabolism; Phytotherapy - methods; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Leaves - chemistry; pleurisy; Pleurisy - chemically induced; Pleurisy - metabolism; Pleurisy - prevention & control; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Solvents - chemistry
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.29.2241

The present study evaluated the effect of the crude extract of the leaves of Nectandra falcifolia (NEES) Castiglioni and its fractions in different experimental models of inflammation (paw edema, pleurisy, and ear edema). Carrageenan-induced edema of the paw and pleurisy were evaluated in Wistar rats (180—220 g), which were treated with different doses of the total extract (250, 500 mg·kg−1). Edema of the ear, induced by croton oil, and determination of myeloperoxidase activity were evaluated in Swiss mice (25—35 g). In this experiment, the crude extract of Nectandra falcifolia (Nf) (1.25, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 mg) and the hexane, chloroform, ethyl-acetate and hydromethanol fractions (5.0 mg) were applied topically, immediately after application of the oil. The crude extract of Nf (500 mg·kg−1) significantly reduced edema of the paw compared to the control group. Similarly, at doses of 250 and 500 mg·kg−1 it significantly reduced the volume of pleural inflammatory exudate compared to the control animals. However, it did not change the number of migrated cells. At doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 mg, the crude extract significantly inhibited edema of the ear and the influx of neutrophils. The fractions from Nectandra falcifolia (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and hydromethanol) also inhibited edema of the ear. Taken together, the results demonstrated that the crude extract and its fractions administered to animals orally or topically showed an anti-inflammatory effect.