title: Anti-inflammatory activity of extract and fractions from Nepeta sibthorpii Bentham.
abstract: Several species of Nepeta genus are utilized in folk medicine for treatment of contusions, rheumatic pains, fever, cutaneous eruptions. Some species are employed for their anti-inflammatory properties. In this paper, we report the results of phytochemical studies on aerial parts of Nepeta sibthorpii Bentham (Lamiaceae), an endemic plant of Greece. The bioassay-guided fractionation of methanol extract led to the isolation of ursolic acid and polyphenol fraction. By HPLC, we determined some phenolics: chlorogenic acid (0.315 mg/g) and the flavonoids rutin (0.091 mg/g), luteolin-7-O-glucoside (0.387 mg/g) and a luteolin derivative. We assayed the radical scavenging activity of Nepeta sibthorpii methanol extract by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. Moreover, we studied the anti-inflammatory activity of Nepeta sibthorpii methanol extract (50 mg/kg, os), ursolic acid and polyphenol fraction (dose corresponding to 50 mg/kg of methanol extract, os) in the carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rat. In this experimental model, we observed a significant inhibition of paw oedema. We suppose that the anti-inflammatory effect of methanol extract could be related to the free radical scavenging activity and that it depends on a synergic action of all the components of the methanol extract, even if ursolic acid can be considered the main responsible for this activity.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaco-Biological Department, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Vill. SS. Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miceli
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Taviano
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trovato
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tzakou
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Galati
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006115:Greece; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D027521:Nepeta; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002351:Carrageenan