Antinociceptive Activity of Aqueous Extract of Bowdichia virgilioides in Mice

Abstract

Bowdichia virgilioides Kunth (Family Fabaceae) is a plant that is distributed widely in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In the northeast region of Brazil, where B. virgilioides is called "sucupira-preta," the stem bark is used in folk medicine to treatment of inflammatory and painful diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the antinociceptive activity of the aqueous extract of the dried stem bark of B. virgilioides. The aqueous extract of B. virgilioides in doses of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg was administered orally 1 hour prior to pain induction. Only the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg produced an inhibition by 61% and 74%, respectively, in the number of abdominal writhings induced by acetic acid. This antinociceptive effect was not reversed by pretreatment with naloxone, indicating that the effect is not associated with the activation of opioid receptors. In the formalin test, using the two highest doses, the extract had no effect in the first phase but produced an analgesic effect on the second phase with the inhibition of licking time (P < .001). In the hot plate test, no effect was seen at the dose of 400 mg/kg p.o. Our findings show that B. virgilioides contains pharmacologically active constituents that possess antinociceptive activity justifying its popular therapeutic use in treating conditions associated with the painful conditions.

Aqueous extract of Bowdichia virgilioides stem bark inhibition of allergic inflammation in mice

“…Confirming the pharmacological potential of the extracts from this plant, we and other authors have previously demonstrated that extracts from its bark and leaves are able to alleviate painful and inflammatory conditions in experimental models (Barros et al, 2010;Silva et al, 2010;Thomazzi et al, 2010). Indeed, these pharmacological effects are related to natural phytochemical constituents present in the extracts.…”

Antinociceptive effect of ethanolic extract of Selaginella convoluta in mice

“…Although S. convoluta is widely used in the folk medicine in the semi-arid region of Brazil, no report about the antinociceptive activity of this plant is recorded in the literature. The study of plant species that traditionally have been used for the relief of the pain should still be seen as a logical research strategy in the search for new analgesic drugs [36]. …”

Antioxidant properties of species from the Brazilian cerrado by different assays

“…Anti-inflammatory and antinoceptive potential (Thomazzia et al, 2010;Silva et al, 2010;Barros et al, 2010) Cardiotonic, sedative and hypoglycemic activities (Aragão et al, 2010;Consolini et al, 2006;) Rheumatism and renal colic (Rodrigues & Carvalho, 2001) Diarrhoea, dysentery, intestinal colic, cystitis, antiviral activity and inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (Cecílio et al, 2012;Lorenzi & Matos, 2002;Braga et al, 2000;Panizza, 1997) Antidiarrheal, gastro-protective and cicatrising activities (Orsi et al, 2012) Jacaranda species are used for blenorrhagy, skin ulcers, anti-syphilis and anti-gonorrhoea, and anti-inflammatory remedies (Gachet & Schühly, 2009) Struthanthus species are used in parasitosis and skin disorders (Martinez & Barboza, 2010) Wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-tyrosinase and Molluscicidal activities (Lopes et. al, 2005;Rebecca et al, 2003;Baurin et al, 2002;Bezerra et al, 2002) Antimalarial, anticancer, hypoglycaemic (Masaba, 2000;Izevbigie et al, 2008) FeCl3 (0.1%).…”