Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of ethyl acetate and butanol fractions from Vitex polygama hydroalcoholic leaf extract.

This study evaluated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Vitex polygama. Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions (10-30 mg/kg), obtained from the hydroalcoholic leaf extract, showed an antinociceptive effect in the acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing test, formalin test and modified hot plate test in mice, indicating a peripheral anti-inflammatory action. Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions were effective in inhibiting nitric oxide and TNF-α production, respectively, in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Both fractions (10-30 mg/kg) showed an acute analgesic effect in mice with vincristine-induced neuropathic pain exposed to a thermal stimulus. Through ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-UV-MS/MS) it was possible to identify seven major compounds: isoorientin, orientin, vitexin, isovitexin, O-p-hydroxybenzoyl orientin, O-caffeoyl-orientin, and di-caffeoylquinic acid. Orientin and isoorientin were isolated from ethyl acetate fraction and had their identity confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Glucosyl flavones appear to be the main metabolites responsible for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities observed for V. polygama.

Antimycobacterial activity and alkaloid prospection of Psychotria species (Rubiaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest.

Ten Psychotria species were collected in two fragments of Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro: Psychotria pubigera (P1A and B), P. ruelliifolia (P2), P. suterela (P3), P. stachyoides (P4), P. capitata (P5), P. glaziovii (P6), P. leiocarpa (P7), P. nuda (P8), P. racemosa (P9) and P. vellosiana (P10). Ethanol extracts of these species were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity, in an attempt to find new antituberculosis agents. Psychotria pubigera (P1A), P. ruelliifolia (P2) and P. stachyoides (P4) were the most active against Mycobacterium. The anti-inflammatory potential of these extracts was also evaluated in vitro to learn if they inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages and if they have free-radical scavenging properties, because inflammation is a severe problem caused by tuberculosis, especially when the infection is from M. bovis or M. tuberculosis. Psychotria suterela (P3), P. stachyoides (P4) and P. capitata (P5) were the most active in inhibiting macrophage NO production but they were not the most antioxidant species. This suggests that NO inhibitory activity is not due to the scavenging of NO generated but due to a specific inhibition of iNOS activity or expression. In addition, cytotoxicity was tested in the macrophages (the host cells of the Mycobacterium) and it was verified that the extracts selectively killed the bacteria and not the host cells. When analyzing antimycobacterial, cytotoxicity and NO inhibitory activities in combination, P. stachyoides (P4) was the most promising anti-TB extract tested. Further, indol alkaloids were detected in P. suterela and P. nuda, and 5,6-dihydro-ß-carboline alkaloids in all of the species studied, with the highest amounts found in P. capitata and P. racemosa.