Citral reduces nociceptive and inflammatory response in rodents

Abstract

Citral (CIT), which contains the chiral enantiomers, neral (cis) and geranial (trans), is the majority monoterpene from Lippia alba and Cymbopogon citratus. The present study aimed to evaluate CIT for antinociceptive and antiinflammatory activities in rodents. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects were studied by measuring nociception through acetic acid and formalin tests, while inflammation was verified by inducing peritonitis and paw edema with carrageenan. All tested doses of CIT had significant protection (p<0.001) against acetic acid (0.8%) induced nociceptive behavior and the effects were also similar to morphine while formalin induced nociception was significantly protected (p<0.05) only at higher dose (200 mg/kg) of CIT in the first phase of the test. CIT significantly reduce (p<0.001) nociceptive behavior emanating from inflammation in second phase at all the doses.The pretreatment with CIT (100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly reduced the paw edema induced by carrageenan. Moreover, systemic treatment with CIT (100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly reduced (p<0.001) the leukocyte migration in the carrageenaninduced migration to the peritoneal cavity. Our investigation shows that CIT possess significant central and peripheral antinociceptive effects. It was also verified an anti-inflammatory activity. All together these results suggest that CIT might represent important tool for treatment of painful conditions.

Monoterpenes with Analgesic Activity—A Systematic Review

“…) (Dewick, ). In animals, citral promoted a decrease of nociceptive response in several models of nociception and was able to reduce paw oedema and leukocyte migration, both induced by carrageenan (Quintans‐Júnior et al ., ). Combinations of naproxen and citral also produced an antinociceptive effect without causing significant gastric damage, presenting therapeutic advantages for the clinical treatment of inflammatory pain (Ortiz et al ., ).…”

Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Myrcia (Myrtaceae): A Review of an Aromatic and Medicinal Group of Plants

“…Citral has a significant central and peripheral antinociceptive effect and anti-inflammatory activity [42]. In that way, citral, the major component of M. ovata essential oil, can contribute for the observed analgesic activity of the essential oil.…”

Sesquiterpene lactone! a promising antioxidant, anticancer and moderate antinociceptive agent from Artemisia macrocephala jacquem

“…They were able to reduce significantly the nociceptive response in various models of nociception with possible involvement of muscarinic, opioid, dopaminergic, adenosinergic and glutamatergic systems and the involvement of ATP-sensitive K + channels [27]. Citronellal, a monoterpene possess antinociceptive potentials with the involvement of opioid system [28, 29], similarly carvacrol, p-cymene, hydroxydihydrocarvone (monoterpene) possess antinociceptive potentials in several models of animals [30–32]. Through structural analysis and the mechanism proposed by scientific studies, the monoterpenes like myrcene, linalool, citronellol and citronellal usually have antinociceptive potentials via acting on the opioid system [33].…”