title: Combretum leprosum Mart. (Combretaceae): potential as an antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory agent.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Combretum leprosum is a species that is popularly used in Brazil as a healing agent to treat skin problems and lesions. In this study we investigated the possible potential of this extract to treat inflammatory and hyperproliferative skin conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Classical models of skin inflammation such as TPA- and croton oil-induced mouse ear oedema were applied in order to verify the potential topical anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanolic extract from flowers of Combretum leprosum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Topical application of ethanolic extract promoted a dose-dependent inhibition of phorbol ester-induced ear oedema, reduced myeloperoxidase activity and IL-6 tissue levels with inhibition comparable to dexamethasone (positive control). Histological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed that ethanolic extract also suppressed cell infiltration. Ethanolic extract altered inflammatory parameters on a chronic skin inflammation model induced by repeated applications of croton oil, decreasing ear oedema, epidermal hyperproliferation and cell infiltration. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis showed that the extract decreased PCNA expression on the epidermis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, these results suggest that the extract from flowers of Combretum leprosum could be considered as a new potential tool for the treatment of several skin inflammatory diseases since it reversed the skin inflammatory and hyperproliferative process in a very significant manner. Further investigations are needed in order to verify the cellular mechanism and safety of Combretum leprosum extract.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Inflammation, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Paraná, PO Box 19031, CEP 81530-900 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cíntia Delai da Silva
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Horinouchi
authors.forename: Daniel Augusto Gasparin Bueno
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Bruna da Silva
authors.initials: Bda S
authors.lastname: Soley
authors.forename: Evelise Fernandes
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Pietrovski
authors.forename: Valdir Alves
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Facundo
authors.forename: Adair Roberto Soares
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Daniela Almeida
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cabrini
authors.forename: Michel Fleith
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Otuki
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D029765:Combretum / Q000737:chemistry*; D003436:Croton Oil; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004423:Ear / Q000473:pathology; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D000431:Ethanol; D003436:Croton Oil; D009195:Peroxidase; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate