title: Evaluation of the antiedematogenic activity of artemetin isolated from Cordia curassavica DC.
abstract: The species Cordia curassavica (Boraginaceae), known popularly as "erva baleeira", is used in folk medicine for the treatment of several inflammatory processes and as a healing agent. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antiedematogenic activity of crude dichloromethane extracts of Cordia curassavica and of the artemetin-enriched fraction. The crude extract and artemetin fraction were tested in the model of carrageenin-induced paw edema in male Swiss mice (25-30 g). The crude dichloromethane extract (300 and 1000 mg/kg, po, N = 6) showed significant antiedematogenic activity, reducing the edema by 42, 57 and 45% and 46, 62 and 69%, 3, 4 and 5 h after carrageenin administration, respectively. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg, po, N = 6) reduced the edema by 45 and 48%, after 4 and 5 h, but the artemetin-enriched fraction (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg, po, N = 6) had no activity. The dichloromethane extract (300 and 1000 mg/kg, po, N = 6) also showed antinociceptive activity by reducing acetic acid-induced writhing in mice from 37.1 +/- 2.28 (control) to 17.3 +/- 1.34 and 13.2 +/- 1.44, respectively, but had no activity in the hot-plate test.
authors.affiliation: Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Qu micas, Biol gicas e Agr colas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bayeux
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Foglio
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D031213:Cordia / Q000737:chemistry*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008752:Methylene Chloride; C054132:artemetin