Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from the green seaweed Caulerpa cupressoides

• Published in: Pharmacological reports Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 282 - 292
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, José A.G., Vanderlei, Edfranck de S.O., Silva, Luana M.C.M., de Araújo, Ianna W.F., de Queiroz, Ismael N.L., de Paula, Gabriela A., Abreu, Ticiana M., Ribeiro, Natássia A., Bezerra, Mirna M., Chaves, Hellíada V., Lima, Vilma, Jorge, Roberta J.B., Monteiro, Helena S.A., Leite, Edda L., Benevides, Norma M.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o 2012; Springer International Publishing
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - adverse effects; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - isolation & purification; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Caulerpa - chemistry; Caulerpa cupressoides; Chlorophyta - chemistry; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance; Edema - drug therapy; Female; Heart - drug effects; inflammation; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - pathology; Liver - drug effects; Liver - pathology; Male; marine alga; Mice; Myocardium - pathology; nociception; Pain - drug therapy; Pain Measurement; Peritonitis - drug therapy; Pharmacotherapy; Pharmacy; Polysaccharides - adverse effects; Polysaccharides - isolation & purification; Polysaccharides - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Wistar; sulfated polysaccharide; nociception; marine alga; sulfated polysaccharide; Caulerpa cupressoides; inflammation
• ISSN: 1734-1140; 2299-5684
• DOI: 10.1016/S1734-1140(12)70766-1

Red and brown algae sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) have been widely investigated as antinociceptive and/or anti-inflammatory agents; however, no description of these biological properties concerning green algae SPs have been reported. Caulerpa curpressoides (Chlorophyta) presents three SPs fractions (Cc-SP1, Cc-SP2, and Cc-SP3). Anticoagulant (in vitro) and anti- and pro-thrombotic (in vivo) effects of Cc-SP2 had been recently reported. We evaluated the effects of Cc-SP2 using models of nociception and acute inflammation in vivo.
Male Swiss mice received Cc-SP2 (iv) 30min prior to receiving 0.6% acetic acid (10ml/kg, ip), 1% formalin (20μl, sc) or were subjected to thermal stimuli (51±1°C). Cc-SP2 was injected sc to male Wistar rats in a peritonitis model or a paw edema model using carrageenan (ip or ipl, 500μg). To analyze the systemic effects, Cc-SP2 (27mg/kg, sc) was administrated to both genders mice before waiting for 14 days.
Cc-SP2 (3, 9 or 27mg/kg) reduced (p<0.05) the number of writhes induced by acetic acid by 57, 89.9 and 90.6%, respectively, the licking time in the first (9 or 27mg/kg with 42.47 and 52.1%, respectively) and the second (3, 9 or 27mg/kg with 68.95, 82.34 and 84.61%, respectively) phases. In the hot-plate test, the antinociceptive effect of Cc-SP2 (9mg/kg) was primarily observed at 60min (26.7±1.2s), with its effect reversed by naloxone (8.6±1.3s), suggesting the involvement of the opioid system. Cc-SP2 (3, 9 or 27mg/kg, sc, p<0.05) showed anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing neutrophils migration by 64, 69 and 73%, respectively, and potently reduced the paw edema, especially at the second (0.16±0.02, 0.16±0.03 and 0.12±0.05ml) and third (0.16±0.03, 0.18±0.02 and 0.14±0.04ml) hours, respectively. Cc-SP2 did not cause hepatic or renal alterations or affect body mass or the macroscopy of the organs examined (p > 0.05). Histopathological analyses of the liver and kidney showed that both organs were affected by Cc-SP2 treatment, but these effects were considered reversible.
The results indicate that the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Cc-SP2 could be of biomedical applicability as a new, natural tool in pain and acute inflammatory conditions.