Effect of silymarin on different acute inflammation models and on leukocyte migration.
In-vivo anti-inflammatory activity of silymarin was tested in different acute inflammation experimental models. In carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats, silymarin given orally reduced in a dose-dependent manner the food-pad abscesses (ED50 = 62.42 mg kg-1). In xylene-induced ear mouse inflammation, silymarin applied topically was more effective than administered intraperitoneally, with effects comparable with those of indomethacin. Silymarin also produced a dose-dependent inhibition of leukocyte accumulation in inflammatory exudates following intraperitoneal injection of carrageenan in mice; silymarin significantly reduced the number of neutrophils. Silymarin was unable to inhibit phospholipase A2 in an in-vitro assay. Besides its known anti-oxidative properties and its ability to act as a radical scavenger, these results suggest that silymarin exerts an important anti-inflammatory action in-vivo by reducing oedema with the effect markedly influenced by the inhibition of neutrophil migration into the inflamed site.
De La Puerta
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Departamento de Farmacia y Tecnologia Farmaceutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Sevilla, Spain.
Martinez
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Bravo
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Ahumada
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MC
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D002351:Carrageenan; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005528:Foot / Q000473:pathology; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D012838:Silymarin; D002351:Carrageenan; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D007213:Indomethacin