title: Studies on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of Curatella americana L.
abstract: Curatella americana L. (Dilleneaceae) popularly known as 'cajueiro-bravo' and 'sambaiba' is used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation and ulcer. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic tests were conducted with the hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) of the bark of the plant. The HAE inhibited mouse ear oedema induced by o-tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) and by capsaicin. While the ID50 values obtained for the HAE against these two irritants were 40.8 +/- 1.7 and 30 +/- 1.2 mg/kg i.p. (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 6), respectively, the corresponding value for carrageenan induced paw oedema (3 h) was 21.8 +/- 2.1 mg/kg, i.p., n = 6. In the established adjuvant-induced arthritis model, the HAE significantly inhibited the oedema in daily doses of 50 mg/kg, i.p. (n = 10). The HAE also inhibited acetic acid-induced writhing (ID50 23.2 +/- 0.8 mg/kg, i.p., n = 6) and the formalin-induced late phase paw licking response (ID50 11.9 +/- 1.2 mg/kg, i.p., n = 10) in the mice. However, the HAE was inactive in the formalin-induced initial paw licking response in mice or heat induced tail flick response in rats. The HAE has shown both anti-inflammatory and peripheral analgesic activities when administrated in the mouse by the intraperitoneal route in doses which are at least 12 times lower than its LD50 dose of 647 mg/kg, i.p.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Tecnologia Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil. imimamt@microbio.ufrj.br
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alexandre-Moreira
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Piuvezam
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D000700:Analgesics; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001938:Brazil; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000633:toxicity; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D019342:Acetic Acid; D002211:Capsaicin