Antinociceptive effect from Davilla elliptica hydroalcoholic extract

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 113; no. 2; pp. 354 - 356
• Main Authors: Azevedo, A.O., Campos, J.J., Galdino, G.S., Braga, F.C., Duarte, I.D.G., Perez, A.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 05-09-2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; analgesic effect; Analgesics - pharmacology; Animals; Antinociceptive; Arginine - pharmacology; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; chemical constituents of plants; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Davilla elliptica; Diclofenac - administration & dosage; Diclofenac - pharmacology; Dilleniaceae; Dilleniaceae - chemistry; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Ethanol - chemistry; ethnobotany; Formaldehyde - administration & dosage; Formaldehyde - toxicity; Formalin test; General pharmacology; herbal medicines; Hindlimb; inflammation; Male; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Medicine, Traditional; Mice; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester - pharmacology; Nitric oxide; Pain - chemically induced; Pain - prevention & control; Pain Measurement - methods; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Components, Aerial - chemistry; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; stems; traditional medicine; Water - chemistry; Brazil; Antinociceptive; Dilleniaceae; Davilla elliptica; Nitric oxide; Formalin test; Pharmacognosy; Extract; Medicinal plant; Analgesic; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.06.008

Davilla elliptica St Hill (Dilleniaceae) is widely used for multiple purposes in Brazil. The aim of this study was to verify the pharmacological support of this folk use and evaluate its use as antinociceptive.
The hydroalcoholic extract of the stems (100–1000
mg/kg, p.o.) induced reduction of response in the formalin test inflammatory phase in mice. This antinociceptive effect does not involve the opioidergic pathway since it was not reverted by pre-treatment with naloxone nor due to myorelaxant activity since it did not affect rota-rod and tail-flick performance. Our results indicate a participation of the nitrergic pathway and may be of particular potential importance in clinical medicine, in view of the current interest in the assessment of new medicines originated from plants.