title: Bioassay-guided evaluation of antioxidant and antinociceptive activities of carvacrol.
abstract: We examined the antioxidant properties in vitro and the antinociceptive effect of carvacrol (CARV) in several models of pain in mice. CARV presented a strong antioxidant potential according to the TRAP/TAR evaluation; it also presented scavenger activity against nitric oxide and prevented lipid peroxidation in vitro. In mice, when evaluated against acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, CARV (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced (p < 0.001) the number of writhing compared to the control group, without opioid participation. In the formalin test, CARV also significantly inhibited both the early (neurogenic pain) and the late (inflammatory pain) phases of formalin-induced licking, with inhibition percentage values of 56.8% (100 mg/kg) for the neurogenic phase and 41.2% (25 mg/kg), 73.8% (50 mg/kg) and 99.7% (100 mg/kg) for the inflammatory phase. CARV also produced a significant inhibition of the pain caused by capsaicin (63.1, 67.1 and 95.8%, p < 0.001) and glutamate (46.4, 61.4 and 97.9%, p < 0.01). When assessed in a thermal model of pain, CARV (100 mg/kg, i.p.) caused a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the latency response on the hot-plate test. Such results were unlikely to be provoked by motor abnormality. Together, these results indicate that the properties of CARV should be more thoroughly examined in order to achieve newer tools for management and/or treatment of painful conditions, including those related to pro-oxidant states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Federal University of Sergipe (DFS/UFS), São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Geovana F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Mônica S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Sócrates C H
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti
authors.forename: Angelo R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Antoniolli
authors.forename: Leonardo R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Bonjardim
authors.forename: Francilene A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: João Paulo A
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Ricardo F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: José Claudio F
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Adriano A S
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Gelain
authors.forename: Lucindo J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Quintans-Júnior
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000081007:Cymenes; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011930:Reaction Time
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000975:Antioxidants; D000081007:Cymenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005557:Formaldehyde; C073316:carvacrol; D002211:Capsaicin