title: Anti-inflammatory activity of Urera baccifera (Urticaceae) in Sprague-Dawley rats.
abstract: On a preliminary test, anti-inflammatory and analgesic dose-related activities on rats were observed for the aqueous fraction of Urera baccifera; this extract was bioassay-guided fractionated and the final aqueous fraction was used according the ethnobotanical use. Carrageenan-induced edema (n = 6), was used as an assay in the fractionating process. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of the final aqueous fraction were studied using in vivo models. For the anti-inflammatory activity rat paw edema (n = 6), pleurisy induced by carrageenan (n = 6) and ear edema induced by topical croton oil (n = 6) models were used, and tail-flick test (n = 6), abdominal constrictions induced by acetic acid (n = 6), and formalin test (n = 6), were used for the antinociceptive activity. The tests performed showed an inhibition effect on leukocyte migration, and a reduction on pleural exudate, as well as dose-dependant peripheral analgesic activity, at a range of 25-100 mg/kg i.p. The final aqueous fraction contains most of the anti-inflammatory activity of the plant U. baccifera. A possible mechanism of action is discussed and based on the results we conclude that this plant has a potential for both anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity at the clinical level.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Farmacéuticas (INIFAR), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.bbadilla@cariari,ucr.ac.cr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badilla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lapa
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Emim
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000187:drug effects; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts