Topical and systemic use of Joannesia princeps vell. LC seed oil in acute pain and inflammation induced by different agents.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Joannesia princeps (SOJP) has been used in folk medicine as anthelmintic treatment and cutaneous wound healing. AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pharmacological activity of seed oil of Joannesia princeps, administered systemically and topically, on acute pain and inflammation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male swiss mice were treated orally and topically with seed oil of Joannesia princeps in models of acute pain (acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, formalin-induced licking behaviour and tail flick tests) and acute inflammation (carrageenan- and histamine-induced paw oedema; arachidonic acid-, capsaicin- and croton oil-induced ear oedema and air pouch tests), besides the open field model in the motor performance evaluation. RESULTS: Seed oil of Joannesia princeps showed systemic action against acute pain in abdominal writhing test (37% and 56% inhibition in the number of writhes at doses of 30 and 100 mg/kg, respectively) and in the second phase of formalin-induced licking behaviour test (29%, 47 and 52% inhibition in the licking time at doses of 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg, respectively), as well as reducing croton oil-induced ear oedema by 72%, leukocyte recruitment and production of TNF-α and IL-6 in the air pouch tests. In addition, topical administration of SOJP inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema by 39% at dose of 500 µg/paw and inhibited histamine-induced oedema by 43 and 52% at doses of 300 and 500 µg/paw, respectively. SOJP also decreased croton oil-induced ear oedema by 67% at dose of 500 µg/paw and arachidonic acid-induced ear oedema by 63% at dose of 500 µg/paw, reducing the production of TNF-α, IL-1ß and MIP2 in both. In addition, no adverse effects were observed at doses up to 2000 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: Seed oil of Joannesia princeps presents antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory actions through its topical and systemic administration, promoted by inhibition of leukocyte recruitment and cytokine production (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and MIP-2).

Seed oil of Joannesia princeps improves cutaneous wound closure in experimental mice.

Joannesia princeps (Cotieira) is a well known medicinal plant in Brazil, however, the therapeutic effects of oil obtained from its seeds have still not been demonstrated. The beneficial effects of J. princeps seed oil on cutaneous wound healing on the back of experimental mice were investigated. An excisional lesion in male Swiss mice (n=20 per group) was topically treated with mineral oil or J. princeps seed oil once a day beginning on the day of lesion until the third day after wounding. Animals were killed and lesions collected after 14 days. Murine skin fibroblast cultures were treated with J. princeps seed oil and fibroblast activity was evaluated. In the in vivo assay, J. princeps seed oil increased wound contraction and migratory tongue length, but reduced neutrophil and macrophage number when compared with the control group. Blood vessel number, collagen deposition, and VEGF levels were increased in treated lesions when compared with control lesions. However, J. princeps seed oil reduced myofibroblast density and carbonyl protein levels when compared with the control group. In the in vitro assay, treatment with J. princeps seed oil increased fibroblast migration and proliferation, but reduced myofibroblastic differentiation in vitro. In conclusion, J. princeps seed oil accelerates wound closure increasing angiogenesis, keratinocyte migration, and fibroblast activity while reducing inflammatory response and oxidative damage.