title: Analgesic activity of a triterpene isolated from Scoparia dulcis L. (Vassourinha).
abstract: Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of water (WE) and ethanolic (EE) extracts of Scoparia dulcis L. were investigated in rats and mice, and compared to the effects induced by Glutinol, a triterpene isolated by purification of EE. Oral administration (p.o.) of either WE or EE (up to 2 g/kg) did not alter the normal spontaneous activity of mice and rats. The sleeping time induced by sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/kg, i.p.) was prolonged by 2 fold in mice pretreated with 0.5 g/kg EE, p.o. Neither extract altered the tail flick response of mice in immersion test, but previous administration of EE (0.5 g/kg, p.o.) reduced writhings induced by 0.8% acetic acid (0.1 ml/10 g, i.p.) in mice by 47%. EE (0.5 and 1 g/kg, p.o.) inhibited the paw edema induced by carrageenan in rats by respectively 46% and 58% after 2 h, being ineffective on the paw edema induced by dextran. No significant analgesic or anti-edema effects were detected in animals pretreated with WE (1 g/kg, p.o.). Administration of Glutinol (30 mg/kg, p.o.) reduced writhing induced by acetic acid in mice by 40% and the carrageenan induced paw edema in rats by 73%. The results indicate that the analgesic activity of S. dulcis L. may be explained by an anti-inflammatory activity probably related to the triterpene Glutinol.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, UFMA, São Luis, Brasil.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Roque
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Souccar
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lapa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014315:Triterpenes