title: Anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of Sonchus oleraceus in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sonchus oleraceus L. has been used to relieve headaches, general pain, hepatitis, infections, inflammation and rheumatism in Brazilian folk medicine. Nevertheless, scientific information regarding this species is scarce; there are no reports related to its possible anti-inflammatory effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed at evaluating the scientific basis for the traditional use of Sonchus oleraceus using in vivo inflammatory models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carrageenan-induced paw edema, peritonitis and febrile response induced by lipopolysaccharide tests, as well as fibrovascular tissue growth induced by s.c. cotton pellet implantation were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Sonchus oleraceus hydroethanolic extract (SoHE) in rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SoHE at test doses of 100-300 mg/kg p.o. clearly demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects by reduced paw edema induced by carragenan, inhibited leukocyte recruitment into the peritoneal cavity and reduced LPS-induced febrile response, and in the model of chronic inflammation using the cotton pellet-induced fibrovascular tissue growth in rats, the SoHE significantly inhibited the formation of granulomatous tissue. The extract administered at 300 mg/kg p.o. had a stronger anti-inflammatory effect than indomethacin (10mg/kg) or dexamethasone (1mg/kg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hydroethanolic extract of Sonchus oleraceus markedly demonstrated anti-inflammatory action in rats, which supports previous claims of its traditional use.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences of Federal University of Alfenas-MG, Alfenas, Brazil.
authors: Fabiana C
authors: FC
authors: Vilela
authors: Andressa D
authors: AD
authors: Bitencourt
authors: Layla D M
authors: LD
authors: Cabral
authors: Lidiane S
authors: LS
authors: Franqui
authors: Roseli
authors: R
authors: Soncini
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Giusti-Paiva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002351:Carrageenan; D032561:Cotton Fiber; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000187:drug effects; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D031184:Sonchus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002351:Carrageenan; D007213:Indomethacin