A pharmacological study of Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol aqueous extract.
Cecropia obtusifolia (Cecropiaceae) is a species from tropical America and its leaves are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes and as an anti-inflammatory agent. In the present study, the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and central nervous system depressant effects of the aqueous extract from the leaves of C. obtusifolia were investigated in different experimental models, with the purpose of validating its ethnomedical uses. The results obtained with the extract from the leaves of C. obtusifolia reflect a low toxicity, a substantial central depressor effect and analgesic activity and significant motor incoordination and muscle relaxant activity. Concerning the analgesic activity, using the hot plate test, the extract did not produce any effect, however it showed a significant effect on the pain induced by chemical stimuli (acetic and formalin test); this suggests the peripheral analgesic effect of the extract. The extract also showed a topical and systemic anti-inflammatory effect. Thus this work could justify the popular use of C. obtusifolia in rheumatic and kidney inflammation pathologies and reveals that this plant is an interesting species.
Pérez-Guerrero
C
C
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain. cperez@fafar.us.es
Herrera
M D
MD
Ortiz
R
R
Alvarez de Sotomayor
M
M
Fernández
M A
MA
D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D019685:Rosales
D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D010936:Plant Extracts