The EO of Lippia gracilis leaves shows antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities.

RESUMO: "Benefícios terapêuticos da Sideroxylon obtusifolium (Humb. ex Roem. & Schult.) T.D. Penn., Sapotaceae, em modelos experimentais de dor e inflamação". A Sideroxylon obtusifolium (Humb. ex Roem. & Schult.) T.D. Penn., Sapotaceae, é utilizada na medicina popular em processos dolorosos e inflamatórios. Para avaliar as atividades analgésica e anti-inflamatória desta planta, estudos foram realizados com o extrato etanólico (EE) da entrecasca (100-400 mg/kg). O tratamento oral único dos animais com o EE inibiu (200 e 400 mg/kg, p<0,01) o efeito do ácido acético e reduziu (100, 200 e 400 mg/kg, p<0,001) o efeito da formalina na segunda fase; entretanto, não apresentou efeito no teste da placa quente. A formação de edema e a migração de leucócitos para a cavidade peritoneal induzidas pela carragenina foram reduzidas pelo tratamento com o EE (100, 200 e 400 mg/kg, p<0,001). Desta forma conclui-se que o EE da Sideroxylon obtusifolium apresenta atividades antinociceptiva e anti-inflamatória, suportando seu uso popular no tratamento da dor e de doenças inflamatórias.Unitermos: anti-inflamatória, antinociceptiva, Sideroxylon obtusifolium, Sapotaceae. ABSTRACT:Sideroxylon obtusifolium (Humb. ex Roem. & Schult.) T.D. Penn., Sapotaceae, is a plant with analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities used in folk medicine. In order to evaluate the actions of this plant, studies were performed on antinociceptive and antiinflammatory activities with the ethanol extract (EE) of inner bark (100-400 mg/kg). Oral treatment with the EE elicited inhibitory activity (200 and 400 mg/kg, p<0.01) on acetic acid effect and reduced (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, p<0.001) the formalin effect at the secondphase, however it did not elicit any inhibitory effect on hot-plate test. Carrageenan-induced oedema formation and leukocyte migration into the peritoneal cavity were reduced with the EE at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg (p<0.001). In conclusion, the EE of Sideroxylon obtusifolium shows antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities, supporting the folkloric usage of the plant to treat pain and various inflammatory diseases.

Abstract:Medicinal plants are an important source of treatment for many ailments, although little is known of the potential genotoxic effects of most species. In the present study, two species from diverse and medicinally important genera -Maytenus rigida Mart., Celastraceae, and Aristolochia birostris Ducht, Aristolochiaceae -were analyzed to identify potentially significant secondary metabolites and the possible effects of their aqueous and alcoholic extracts on cell division in the onion root stem (genotoxicity test). The phytochemical testing revealed the presence of a number of potentially important secondary compounds in both species, including phenols, flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, and saponins. In the genotoxicity tests, no chromosomal abnormalities of any kind were observed in either species. In the case of M. rigida, a significant increase in mitotic activity was observed at the highest concentration. No significant tendency was recorded in A. birostris, although a considerable increase in the prophase was observed at all concentrations of the alcoholic extract. The triterpenoid content of both species may be especially important from a medicinal viewpoint, although recent findings on the carcinogenic potential of Aristolochia extracts demands caution in the interpretation of the results, and the need for further research.

Background: Peperomia pellucida is popularly known as coraçãozinho in the Brazilian northeast and is used in the treatment of abscesses, furuncles, and conjunctivitis. Our work aimed to determine the term of the development stages and the species cycle in the four seasons of the year (complete development, beginning of bloom, complete bloom, and seed set), verifying the plant's therapeutic profile during the four distinct development phases in order to detect differences in its potency. Pharmacological tests were performed to observe the anti-inflammatory activity.

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