title: Pharmacological potential of Populus nigra extract as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular and hepatoprotective agent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and vasorelaxant activities of Populus nigra flower buds ethanolic extract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the extract were assessed using respectively the ABTS test and the animal model of carrageenan-induced paw edema. Protection from hepatic toxicity caused by aluminum was examined by histopathologic analysis of liver sections. Vasorelaxant effect was estimated in endothelium-intact and -rubbed rings of porcine coronary arteries precontracted with high concentration of U46619.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a moderate antioxidant activity (40%), but potent anti-inflammatory activity (49.9%) on carrageenan-induced mice paw edema, and also as revealed by histopathologic examination, complete protection against AlCl₃-induced hepatic toxicity. Relaxant effects of the same extract on vascular preparation from porcine aorta precontracted with high concentration of U46619 were considerable at 10⁻¹ g/L, and comparable (P>0.05) between endothelium-intact (67.74%, IC₅₀=0.04 mg/mL) and -rubbed (72.72%, IC₅₀=0.075 mg/mL) aortic rings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extract exerted significant anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and vasorelaxant activities, the latter being endothelium-independent believed to be mediated mainly by the ability of components present in the extract to exert antioxidant properties, probably related to an inhibition of Ca²⁺ influx.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, University A. Mira, Bejaia, 06000 Algeria.
authors.forename: Nadjet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Debbache-Benaida
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atmani-Kilani
authors.forename: Valérie Barbara
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Schini-Keirth
authors.forename: Nouredine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Djebbli
authors.forename: Djebbar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atmani
mesh_terms: D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000633:toxicity; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032107:Populus / Q000737:chemistry*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013634:Tannins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002712:Chlorides; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D013634:Tannins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D002351:Carrageenan; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496315:Nos3 protein, mouse
keywords: Anti-inflammatory activity; Hepatoprotection; Polyphenols; Populus nigra; Vasorelaxation