Peripheral antinociception and anti-edematogenic effect of a sulfated polysaccharide from Acanthophora muscoides.
BACKGROUND
Sulfated polysaccharides from red marine algae have presented a variety of potentially therapeutic biological effects, however, their antinocicpetive and anti-inflammatory properties are not well understood.


METHODS
Male Swiss mice were pretreated with a sulfated polysaccharidic fraction obtained from the marine alga Acanthophora muscoides (AmII) (1, 3 or 9 mg/kg, iv) 30 min prior to either receiving an injection of 0.8% acetic acid or 1% formalin or prior to a thermal stimulus. AmII (1, 3 or 9 mg/kg, sc) was evaluated on carrageenan-, dextran- bradykinin-, histamine- and serotonin-induced rat paw edema models. AmII (500 μg, sc) was also injected into the paw. Additionally, mice were treated with the total sulfated polysaccharides from A. muscoides (Am-TSP) (20 mg/kg, ip) for 14 days.


RESULTS
AmII reduced the number of acetic acid-induced writhes and licking time in the second phase of the formalin test, but it did not alter the response latency in the hot plate test, suggesting that its antinociceptive action occurs through a peripheral mechanism. AmII did not reduce carrageenan-induced paw edema and MPO activity. However, it reduced dextran-, histamine- and serotonin-induced paw edemas, but not bradykinin-induced edema, suggesting that histamine is the major target of AmII anti-edematogenic activity. AmII injected into the paw did not evoke local edema. Furthermore, Am-TSP induced no consistent signs of systemic damage, as revealed by body mass, organs wet weight and by biochemical, hematological and histopathological analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
AmII has important antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties and represents an important therapeutic agent warranting future studies.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Ana L G
AL
Quinderé
Bruno P
BP
Fontes
Edfranck de S O
Ede S
Vanderlei
Ismael N L
IN
de Queiroz
José A G
JA
Rodrigues
Ianna W F
IW
de Araújo
Roberta J B
RJ
Jorge
Dalgimar B
DB
de Menezes
Antonio A R
AA
e Silva
Hellíada V
HV
Chaves
Janaina S A M
JS
Evangelista
Mirna M
MM
Bezerra
Norma M B
NM
Benevides
D000700:Analgesics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000737:chemistry*
D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides