The butanolic fraction (BT-ll) derived from the aqueous crude extract was prepared from aerial parts of Baccharis trimera and assessed in anti-inflammatory, analgesia, and ulcerogenesis models. Intraperitoneal pretreatment with lyophilized BT-ll, at doses ranging from 40 to 100mg/kg, markedly inhibited carrageenan-and dextran-induced inflammation (70.4-90.8% and 25.7-71.3%, respectively) and weakly decreased C16-paf-and arachidonic acid-induced swelling (24.9-36.7% and 0-30.6%, respectively). No effect was observed, at the same doses, on zymosan-induced edema. The intraperitoneal examination indicates that the anti-phlogistic action of BT-ll was not due to an irritating effect at the injection site. Besides, BT-Il reduced abdominal constrictions in mice following injection of acetic acid: at 50mg/kg, it gave 67.4% inhibition and, at 100mg/kg, 95.1 %. The ulcerogenic assay showed that the incidence of ulcers after BT-ll i.p. treatment was 2/6 at 50mg/kg and 6/6 at 100mg/kg. Ulcerogenic indices were 1.3 0.5 and 2.7 0.8, respectively.These results indicate that B. trimera shows strong antiinflammatory and analgesic properties which seem to be due, at least partly, to the inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis. The chromatographic separation of BT-II monitored by bio-assay (carrageenan-induced edema test in mice) was carried out. The active constituents were found to be mainly saponins in which echinocystic acid (or its enantiomer) is the major aglycone, and also rutin.Key words: Baccharis trimera, Asteraceae, anti-inflammatory activity, analgesic effect, rutin, saponins, echinocystic acid. and a steroid (9) have been identified in B. trimera extracts. The flavonoids showed antihepatotoxic (8) and molluscicidal (6) properties. Recently, we have reported on the anti-phlogistic effect produced intraperitoneally by B. trimera-aqueous extract and its butanolic fraction (BT-Il). BT-lI markedly inhibited carrageenan-induced edema in a dose-dependent manner Planta Medica 62(1996)232-235 © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart. New York (DE5O = 26.7mg/kg), reaching values near 100% inhibition of inflammation (10).In the present study, the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and ulcerogenic effects of BT-ll are evaluated. The findings indicate that this fraction possesses active principles capable of preventing various chemically-induced edemas in rats and abdominal writhings following acetic acid injection in mice.Irritating and ulcerogenic effects are also evaluated. The chromatographic fractionation of BT-II, monitored by bio-assay revealed that the active constituents are rutin and, mainly, a saponin mixture in which echinocystic acid or its enantiomer is the major aglycone.
Materials and MethodsPlant material B. trimera was collected in Uruguay during the flowering season. A voucher specimen has been deposited at the BCF herbarium (Fac. of Pharmacy, Univ. of Barcelona) under the number 36688. Chromatographic and spectroscopic methods CC stationary phases were polyamide CC-6 (Macherey and Nagel, Düren, Germany) and Sephadex LH-20 (P...
