title: Evaluation of mechanisms involved in the antinociception of the ethanol extract from the inner bark of Caesalpinia pyramidalis in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caesalpinia pyramidalis Tul. (Fabaceae) is an endemic tree of the Northeast region of Brazil, mainly in the Caatinga region. More commonly, inner bark or flowers are traditionally used to treat many painful and inflammatory processes. A common use of this plant is made by macerating a handful of its stem bark in a liter of wine or sugarcane brandy. It is drunk against stomachache, dysenteries, and diarrheas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ethanol extract of Caesalpinia pyramidalis inner bark was used in mice via oral route, at the doses of 10, 30, and 100mg/kg, in behavioral models of nociception and investigates some of the mechanisms underlying this effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ethanol extract (30 and 100mg/kg, P<0.001), given orally, produced dose dependent inhibition of acetic acid-induced visceral pain. The ethanol extract also caused significant and dose-dependent inhibition of capsaicin-(100mg/kg, P<0.001) and glutamate-(10, 30, and 100mg/kg, P<0.01) induced pain. The antinociception caused by the ethanol extract (30mg/kg) in the abdominal constriction test was significantly attenuated (P<0.001) by intraperitoneal treatment of mice with l-arginine (600mg/kg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collectively, the present results suggest that the ethanol extract of Caesalpinia pyramidalis produced dose-related antinociception in several models of pain through mechanisms that involved both glutamatergic system and/or the l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway, supporting the folkloric usage of the plant to treat various painful processes.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology of Inflammation and Pain Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Sergipe, CEP 49100-000, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cliomar A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Dayanne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Danielle G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Thomazzi
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D029911:Caesalpinia; D002211:Capsaicin; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D001120:Arginine; D019342:Acetic Acid; D002211:Capsaicin