title: In vivo anti-inflammatory properties of aerial parts of Nasturtium officinale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nasturtium officinale R. Br. (watercress) has long been used in Iranian folk medicine to treat hypertension, hyperglycemia, and renal colic. Moreover, anticancer, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties of N. officinale have been reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, anti-inflammatory activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract from aerial parts of N. officinale was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oral administration of the hydro-alcoholic extract of N. officinale (250, 500 and 750 mg kg(-1)) was investigated on two well-characterized animal models of inflammation, including carrageenan- or formalin-induced paw edema in rats. Then, the topical anti-inflammatory effect of N. officinale (2 and 5 mg/ear) was studied on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema. Finally, biopsy of the paw or ear was performed for pathological evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute toxicity tests of N. officinale in rats established an oral LD50 of >5 g kg(-1). The extract of watercress (250, 500 and 750 mg kg(-1)) significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after carrageenan challenge (p < 0.001). The extract (500 mg kg(-1)) also showed considerable activity against formalin-evoked paw edema over a period of 24 h (p < 0.001). Furthermore, topical application of N. officinale (5 mg/ear) reduced TPA-induced ear edema (p < 0.05). Histopathologically, the extract decreased swelling and the tissue damage induced by carrageenan or TPA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate potent anti-inflammatory activity of N. officinale in systemic and topical application and propose its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent for treatment of inflammatory conditions.
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plants Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences , Yasuj , Iran .
authors.forename: Heibatollah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostafazadeh
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.forename: Moslem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naderian
authors.forename: Mehrzad Jafari
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barmak
authors.forename: Mohammad Sharif
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Talebianpoor
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mehraban
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D031223:Nasturtium / Q000737:chemistry*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000633:toxicity; D013997:Time Factors; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002351:Carrageenan; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate