title: Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Spartium junceum L. flower extracts: a preliminary study.
abstract: Our objective was to study the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of extract of Spartium junceum L. flowers. Samples of flowers were collected from wild plants, dried, powdered, and extracted with hexane and methanol. The extracts were evaporated to dryness and then suspended in suitable solvent. They were then tested for anti-inflammatory activity in the carrageenin rat paw edema test and for analgesic activity in the Randall and Selitto mechanical pressure test and in the tail-flick test. Twenty-four hours after treatment, the gastric mucosa of each rat was observed macroscopically. Based on these results the hexane extract was fractioned by column chromatography, and the fractions obtained were tested in the same way. The results showed good anti-inflammatory activity only for a single fraction of the hexane extract, while all the extracts and all the other hexane fractions showed both peripheral and central analgesic activity. In rats treated with the tested compounds hyperemia and ulcers were absent. The data from this preliminary study reveal interesting pharmacological properties of S. junceum L. flowers extract related to the marked analgesic activity and the absence of gastric ulcerogenic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Science, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy. lmenghini@unich.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menghini
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Massarelli
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pagiotti
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002351:Carrageenan; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005528:Foot; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D031302:Spartium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000473:pathology; D013623:Tail
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002351:Carrageenan