Analgesic and central depressor effects of the dichloromethanol extract from Schinus molle L.

Abstract

The analgesic and central depressor effects of the dichloromethanol extract of Schinus molle L. were analysed in in vivo models. This extract showed low acute toxicity, CNS depressor activity and analgesic effect. Following further fractionation, the hexane/dichloromethane (75/25) fraction showed the most interesting results. Thus, this fraction caused a total inhibition of motor activity and significantly reduced the threshold of pain to chemical stimulus.

In vitro pharmacological evaluation of the dichloromethanol extract from Schinus molle l.

“…1C). The fact that the SM-DMC extract could inhibit the contraction exerted by two important mediators of pain, such as histamine and serotonin, would support a possible relation between this effect and the peripheral analgesic activity previously described for this extract (Barrachina et al, 1997).…”

“…This species has became naturalized in South Europe as an ornamental plant (Bailey and Bailey, 1976) and the infusion of the leaves has been widely used in Peruvian folk medicine as an hypotensive drug (De Feo, 1992;Font Quer, (1980)). Previous pharmacological studies carried out by our group have shown that the dichloromethanol (DCM) extract from Schinus molle L. exerts an hypotensive effect (Bello et al, 1996), a peripheral analgesic action and a possible central nervous system depressant action (Barrachina et al, 1997). The purpose of the present study was to continue the evaluation of the pharmacological properties of this extract, by examining its effects on the in vitro contractile activity induced by various agonists on isolated smooth muscle preparations from different tissues.…”

Consequences of subchronic exposure to ethanolic extract from fruits and leaves of Schinus molle var. areira L. in mice

“…In the last years, many studies have been performed in this plant and interesting results have been obtained about its biological effects. It is reported that it exert several activities, such as: antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, diuretic (Duke, 1985), hypotensive (Bello et al, 1996), antitumoral (Ruffa et al, 2002), analgesic (Barrachina et al, 1997) and anti-inflammatory (Yueqin et al, 2003). Another more recent study demonstrated that the leaves of this plant produce an antidepressant-like effect (Machado et al, 2007).…”

First record of the pepper tree psyllid, Calophya schini Tuthill (Hemiptera, Calophyidae), in the Palaearctic region

“…It has been used as an astringent, balsamic, diuretic, expectorant, masticatory, purgative, stomachic, tonic and vulnerary, and in the treatment of several health problems (Orwa et al 2009). Extracts of S. molle were shown to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects (Barrachina et al 1997;Bendaoud et al 2010;Diaz et al 2008;Yueqin et al 2003), and have been explored for pest control due to their antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, insecticidal and repellent properties (Benzi et al 2009;Deveci et al 2010;Dikshit et al 1986;Huerta et al 2010). Schinus molle is also considered an invasive plant species of natural areas in California and South Africa (Howard & Minnich 1989;Iponga et al 2009).…”