title: Polysaccharide fractions of Caesalpinia ferrea pods: potential anti-inflammatory usage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caesalpinia ferrea (Caesalpinioideae), known as pau-ferro or juca, has been used in the traditional medicine in North and Northeast of Brazil in inflammatory disorder, among others. Thus, experimental evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts and fraction polysaccharides of Caesalpinia ferrea pods, and correlation with its anti-inflammatory activity and popular use is important.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total polysaccharides (TPL) were applied to ion exchange chromatography and eluted stepwise. Paw edema was induced s.c. by λ-carrageenan, dextran, histamine, serotonin, compound 48/80, bradykinin, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) or L-arginine and analyzed by plethysmometry and protein leakage by spectrophotometry. Peritonitis was induced i.p. by carrageenan or N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) and analyzed 4 h later for leukocyte migration and protein leakage. Animals were treated i.v. with TPL or polysaccharide fractions (0.01, 0.1, 1 mg/kg) 30 min before stimuli in both models. Toxicity (variation of body/organ mass and hematological/biochemical parameters) was evaluated after the seven-day treatment with the most active polysaccharide fraction (1 mg/kg; i.v.).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chromatography of TPL (2.8% yield) provided three major polysaccharide fractions (FI, FII, FIII). At 1 mg/kg, TPL inhibited the paw edema induced by carrageenan (60%) and FIII (fraction presenting high carbohydrate and low protein content) inhibited the inflammatory parameters in the paw edema induced by the following stimuli: carrageenan (70%), dextran (53%), histamine (65%), serotonin (62%), bradykinin (60%), PGE(2) (63%), nitric oxide (61%) and compound 48/80 (36%). Additionally, FIII at 1 mg/kg inhibited the carrageenan-induced edema in animals with intact mast cells, but only the late phase of those with degranulated mast cells elicited by compound 48/80. Moreover, FIII inhibited cell migration and protein leakage in the model of peritonitis elicited by carrageenan (88%) and fMLP (64%), being well tolerated by animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extracts and polysaccharide fractions of Caesalpinia ferrea pods exhibit potent anti-inflammatory activity via negative modulation of histamine, serotonin, bradykinin, PGE(2) and NO released in the carrageenan-induced edema, showing involvement of mast cells. FIII could be interfering not only in the vascular, but also in cellular inflammatory events, revealing to be an important active component of traditionally prepared remedies used to treat inflammatory states.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Superior de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lívia de Paulo
authors.initials: Lde P
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Racquel Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Pedro Henrique de Souza Ferreira
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Bringel
authors.forename: Kaira Emanuella Sales
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Ana Maria Sampaio
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Assreuy
authors.forename: Maria Gonçalves
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029911:Caesalpinia / Q000737:chemistry; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005638:Fruit; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides