Antinociceptive effect of Nidularium procerum: a Bromeliaceae from the Brazilian coastal rain forest

Nidularium procerum, a common plant of the Brazilian flora, has not yet been studied for its pharmacological properties. We report here that extracts of N. procerum show both analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Oral (p.o.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of an aqueous crude extract...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 78 - 87
Main Authors:	Amendoeira, F.C., Frutuoso, V.S., Chedier, L.M., Pearman, A.T., Figueiredo, M.R., Kaplan, M. A.C., Prescott, S.M., Bozza, P.T., Castro-Faria-Neto, H.C.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Germany Elsevier GmbH 2005 Urban & Fischer Verlag Elsevier Science Ltd
Subjects:	Acetic Acid Administration, Oral analgesic effect Analgesics Analgesics - administration & dosage Analgesics - pharmacology Analgesics - therapeutic use Animals anti-inflammatory activity Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - administration & dosage Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - pharmacology Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use Anti-inflammatory drugs Antinociceptive effect biosynthesis Bradykinin Brazil Bromeliaceae Dosage and administration Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Edema - chemically induced Edema - prevention & control Hot Temperature inflammation Injections, Intraperitoneal intraperitoneal injection leaves Lipopolysaccharides lungs Male Medicinal plants neutrophils Nidularium procerum oral administration pain Pain - chemically induced Pain - prevention & control Phytotherapy Plant Extracts - administration & dosage Plant Extracts - pharmacology Plant Extracts - therapeutic use Plant Leaves Plant Roots plants Pleurisy - chemically induced Pleurisy - prevention & control prostaglandins Rats Rats, Wistar roots Trees Brazil Antinociceptive effect Nidularium procerum
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Summary:	Nidularium procerum, a common plant of the Brazilian flora, has not yet been studied for its pharmacological properties. We report here that extracts of N. procerum show both analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Oral (p.o.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of an aqueous crude extract from leaves of N. procerum (LAE) inhibited the writhing reaction induced by acetic acid (ED 50 value=0.2 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) in a dose-dependent manner. This analgesic property was confirmed in rats using two different models of bradykinin-induced hyperalgesia; there was 75% inhibition of pain in the modified Hargreaves assay, and 100% inhibition in the classical Hargreaves assay. This potent analgesic effect was not blocked by naloxone, nor was it observed in the hot plate model, indicating that the analgesic effect is not associated with the activation of opioid receptors in the central nervous system. By contrast, we found that LAE (0.02 μg/ml) selectively inhibited prostaglandin E 2 production by cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, but not COX-1, which is a plausible mechanism for the analgesic effect. A crude methanol extract from the leaves also showed similar analgesic activity. An identical extract from the roots of N. procerum did not, however, block acetic acid-induced writhes, indicating that the analgesic compounds are concentrated in the leaves. Finally, we found that LAE inhibited an inflammatory reaction induced by lipopolysaccharide in the pleural cavity of mice.
ISSN:	0944-7113 1618-095X
DOI:	10.1016/j.phymed.2003.09.002