title: In vivo efficacy of different extracts of Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum Cass.) in animal models.
abstract: Dichloromethane, methanolic and CO(2) extracts of the aerial parts and roots of Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum Cass.) were investigated for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects after oral administration. The highest activity in rat's paw edema assay was found for the lipophilic extracts of the aerial plant parts (dose 200 mg/kg), exhibiting a swelling reduction of 72% (CO(2)-extract) and 80% (DCM-extract), respectively. Histological evaluation of the treated paws showed a significant reduction of the inflammatory response in the pre-treated specimens. On the contrary in the acetic acid-induced writhing test the dichloromethane extract of the root extract exhibited more pronounced analgesic effects than the extracts of the aerial parts, suggesting a different pattern of active compounds. As far as gastrointestinal effects are concerned, oral administration of aerial parts (hDCM 200 mg/kg) to mice induces a highly significant inhibition in gastrointestinal propulsion probably related to the presence of so far unknown compounds. Moreover, the antioxidant capacity of some extracts was studied in order to establish a possible correlation with anti-inflammatory properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna 40126, Italy. esperoni@biocfarm.unibo.it
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Speroni
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwaiger
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Egger
authors.forename: Anna-Theres
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Rinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cervellati
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Govoni
authors.forename: Maria Clelia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stuppner
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019659:Asteraceae; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts