Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of Garcinia brasiliensis.
OBJECTIVE
In Brazilian folk medicine, the leaves of Garcinia brasiliensis are used to treat tumors, inflammation of the urinary tract and arthritis as well as to relieve pain. Nevertheless, scientific information regarding Garcinia brasiliensis is limited; there are no reports related to its possible anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. This study employed in vivo inflammatory and nociceptive models to evaluate the scientific basis for the traditional use of Garcinia brasiliensis.


METHODS
Carrageenan-induced paw edema, peritonitis and fibrovascular tissue growth induced by s.c. cotton pellet implantation were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Garcinia brasiliensis ethanolic extract (GbEE) in rats. Formalin and acetic acid-induced writhing tests were used to investigate the antinociceptive activity in mice.


RESULTS
GbEE at test doses of 30-300 mg/kg p.o. clearly demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects by reduced paw edema induced by carrageenan, inhibited leukocyte recruitment into the peritoneal cavity, and in the model of chronic inflammation using the cotton pellet-induced fibrovascular tissue growth in rats, the GbEE significantly inhibited the formation of granulomatous tissue. The extracts at test doses of 30-300 mg/kg, p.o., clearly demonstrated antinociceptive activity, except for the first phase of the formalin test.


CONCLUSIONS
GbEE markedly demonstrated anti-inflammatory action in rats and antinociceptive activity in mice, which supports previous claims of the traditional use of species of the Garcinia genus for inflammation and pain.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas-MG, 37130-000 Alfenas, Brazil.
Flávia V
FV
Santa-Cecília
Fabiana C
FC
Vilela
Cláudia Q
CQ
da Rocha
Danielle F
DF
Dias
Gustavo P
GP
Cavalcante
Lissara A S
LA
Freitas
Marcelo H
MH
dos Santos
Alexandre
A
Giusti-Paiva
D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D029760:Garcinia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D008517:Phytotherapy; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents