Anti-inflammatory activity of Brunfelsia uniflora root extract: phytochemical characterization and pharmacologic potential of this under-investigated species.

Brunfelsia uniflora (Pohl) D. Don roots have been widely used in folk medicine for treating inflammatory conditions. However, few studies have elucidated compounds that justify their traditional use. This study was conducted to characterize the phytochemical profile and evaluate the in vitro antioxidant capacity, and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of extracts obtained from B. uniflora roots by comparing an herbal remedy (HR) with the crude hydroalcoholic extract (CHE). In the phytochemical analysis, scopoletin was identified as the marker compound. In quantitative analyses, CHE showed better results than HR. Furthermore, CHE had an effective anti-inflammatory activity. Animals treated with CHE (200 mg/kg) showed an 89.1% and a 73.8% reduction in edema volume after 1 hour of edema induction compared with those treated with negative control and positive control (indomethacin), respectively. These results show that B. uniflora root extracts have promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, thus corroborating their application in ethnomedicine.

In vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of Cissus verticillata and Sphagneticola trilobata used for treatment of Diabetes Mellitus in Brazilian folk medicine

Cissus verticillata and Sphagneticola trilobata have been used in Brazilian folk medicine for Diabetes Mellitus treatment, although their pharmacological and toxicological profile has not been clearly established. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the preclinical toxicity of the aqueous extracts of C. verticillata and S. trilobata. The main groups of secondary metabolites were investigated, and the species differed by the presence of coumarins in C. verticillata and by tannins in S. trilobata extracts. The highest contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids were quantified in C. verticillata infusion with 2.594 ± 0.04 mg equivalents of gallic acid g-1 of extract and 1.301 ± 0.015 mg equivalents of catechin g-1 of extract, respectively. While the extract of S. trilobata showed minimum values of these compounds, with 0.002 ± 0.001 mg equivalents of gallic acid g-1 extract and 0.005 ± 0.0004 mg equivalents of catechin g-1 of extract, respectively. These differences implied the results of in vitro antioxidant activity evaluated using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), in which the sample of C. verticillata at 5 mg mL-1 showed a value of 122 µM ferrous sulfate equivalents (FSE), while S. trilobata showed 0.93 µM FSE at the same concentration. With respect to cytotoxic assay with murine fibroblast cell line (3T3) only S. trilobata exhibited cytotoxic effects measured by MTT and Sulforhodamine B assays, evidenced by the cell viability value of approximately 16%, in both tests after 24 and 72 hours of exposure of the cells to 5 mg mL-1 of the extract. Comparatively, at 5 mg mL-1 the C. verticillata extract showed cell viability of 142% and 95%, respectively, after 24 hours of cell exposure. On the other hand, both species showed genotoxic profiles evidenced by chromosomal aberrations by Allium cepa bioassay, observed by the higher percentage values of chromosome bridges, chromosome loss, and disturbed anaphase for all concentrations of both extracts than those of the negative control. The results support the characterization of the toxicological profile for both species and create an alert regarding the use of S. trilobata, which should be avoided.

Evaluation of the pharmacological activity of the Alternanthera brasiliana aqueous extract.

CONTEXT: Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze (Amarantaceae) is widely used in Brazilian traditional medicine as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic, and locomotor effect of the infusions in preclinical models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by a carrageenan-induced pleurisy test in Wistar rats (200 and 400 mg/kg, n = 6-7). Analgesic activity was evaluated by the number of abdominal contractions induced by 0.6% acetic acid administered to Swiss mice (25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, n = 10). Effects on the central nervous system (CNS) were evaluated in Wistar rats (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, n = 10) using open field and plus maze models. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Possible anti-inflammatory activity was indicated by the significant reduction of 19.8% for 200 mg/kg (p < 0.05) and 23.9% for 400 mg/kg (p < 0.05) of polymorphonuclear cells in pleural exudate. Analgesic activity was suggested by the significant reduction (p < 0.01) of number of abdominal contractions for all doses under study. No anxiolytic effect was noted, but there was an increase in the number of rearings in the group of rats treated with 100 mg/kg dose (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the aqueous extract of the leaves of A. brasiliana has a potential pharmacological effect on inflammation and pain.