title: Curine, an alkaloid isolated from Chondrodendron platyphyllum inhibits prostaglandin E2 in experimental models of inflammation and pain.
abstract: Curine is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid that is isolated from Chondrodendron platyphyllum, a plant that is used to treat malaria, inflammation, and pain. Recent reports have demonstrated the antiallergic effects of curine at nontoxic doses. However, its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties remain to be elucidated. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of curine in mice. We analyzed the effects of an oral treatment with curine in the formation of paw edema, vascular permeability, abdominal contortion, licking behavior, and hyperalgesia using different inflammatory stimuli. Curine significantly inhibited the formation of paw edema by decreasing vascular permeability, inhibited the acetic acid-induced writhing response, inhibited the licking behavior during inflammation but not during the neurogenic phase of the formalin test, and inhibited carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia. Finally, curine inhibited prostaglandin E2 production in vitro without affecting cyclooxygenase-2 expression. The effects of curine treatment were similar to the effects of indomethacin, but were different from the effects of morphine treatment, suggesting that the analgesic effects of curine do not result from the direct inhibition of neuronal activation but instead depend on anti-inflammatory mechanisms that, at least in part, result from the inhibition of prostaglandin E2 production. In conclusion, curine presents anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects at nontoxic doses and has the potential for use in anti-inflammatory drug development.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fagner Carvalho
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribeiro-Filho
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hermann Ferreira
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Psicofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Regina Rodrigues
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea Surrage
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Calheiros
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alan Brito
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Psicofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Reinaldo Nobrega
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fitoquímica, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Celidarque da Silva
authors.initials: Cda S
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Bozza
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcia Regina
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Piuvezam
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029583:Menispermaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007546:Isoquinolines; C470478:curine; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015232:Dinoprostone