title: Screening of the topical anti-inflammatory activity of some Central American plants.
abstract: Hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts of seven herbal drugs used in the folk medicine of Central America against skin disorders (Aristolochia trilobata leaves and bark, Bursera simaruba bark, Hamelia patens leaves, Piper amalago leaves, and Syngonium podophyllum leaves and bark) were evaluated for their topical anti-inflammatory activity against the Croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice. Most of the extracts induced a dose-dependent oedema reduction. The chloroform extract of almost all the drugs exhibited interesting activities with ID(50) values ranging between 108 and 498 micro g/cm(2), comparable to that of indomethacin (93 micro g/cm(2)). Therefore, the tested plants are promising sources of principles with high anti-inflammatory activity.
authors.affiliation: DEMREP, University of Trieste, Via A Valerio 6, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Balick
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arvigo
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altinier
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tubaro
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002489:Central America; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D051379:Mice; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations