Inhibitory effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cunila spicata Benth. on phlogistic agents-induced cellular migration in the airways of mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cunila spicata Benth. Is a creeping and aromatic plant that has an ethnopharmacological indication in the southern region of Brazil, in the Araucaria Forest biome. It's used as an alternative therapy for respiratory diseases for men and animals since the "tropeirista" movement in colonial Brazil. AIM OF THE STUDY: Investigate the influence of oral administration of hydroalcoholic extract of C. spicata (HECS) on cellular inflammatory processes in the airways of mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The HECS was obtained by the ultrasound-assisted technique. Phytochemical analysis of the volatile compounds was performed using gas-chromatography with mass spectrometry. To investigate the biological activity of HECS, the animals were pre-treated with HECS orally 1 h before and the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) model was used, in which the animals were subjected to inhalation of different pro-inflammatory agents such as carrageenan (CAR), histamine (HIST), capsaicin (CAP), bradykinin (BK), and 48/80 compound (C48/80). After sacrifice, BAL sample was collected from the bronchi and was analyzed for total and differential white blood cell counts, compared with control groups. RESULTS: Fourteen volatile phytocompounds were identified in the HECS, the main ones being 2-bornanone, menthofuran and camphene. Among the HECS treated animals, all showed significant maximal inhibition (MI) when challenged with pro-inflammatory agents by nebulization. In the group of animals that received CAR, the MI was 72.77 ± 3.88%, compared to the negative control (NC). There was a predominance of lymphocytes (59.18 ± 4.07%). For the HIST group, MI was 64.03 ± 4.33%, in relation to the NC, with predominance in macrophages number (76.53 ± 2.78%). In the CAP group, the MI obtained was 38.90 ± 11.31%, with greater macrophage migration occurring (80.98 ± 3.44%) in the higher dose. For animals subjected to BK inhalation, the MI was 48.63 ± 3.95% with macrophages predominance (64.33 ± 10.04%). In the group that received C48/80 inhalation, the MI was 40.25 ± 5.30% (100 mg kg-1), with higher occurrence of macrophages (72.97 ± 4.23%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that HECS had a non-specific inhibitory effect on cellular migration induced by different pro-inflammatory agents, reducing inflammation in airways of mice. These effects coincide and support its ethnopharmacological use as an alternative medicine for respiratory diseases in regions where the plant is prevalent.

Inhibitory effect of Persea cordata Mez. (pau-andrade) bark extracts against Clostridium perfringens causing gangrenous mastitis

Introduction: Gangrenous mastitis is a special clinical presentation of mastitis in cattle and small ruminants. The bark of the tree Persea cordata Mez. is used in Brazilian ethnoveterinary medicine to treat wounds in farm animals. Objectives: Examine in vitro antimicrobial action of apolar fractions of P. cordata bark against a wild strain of C. perfringens isolated from the udder of a cow with gangrenous mastitis, and against a reference strain. Methods: A milk sample was collected from the udder, aliquots were diluted and Gram-stained smears were performed. The aliquots were inoculated in broth and planted in blood agar, and then incubated in anaerobiosis at 37oC / 24h. Biochemical identification was based on bacterial isolation. In vitro inhibitory activity of apolar fractions of P. cordata was evaluated by agar diffusion and MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) using the agar dilution method. Results: In both tests the plant extracts displayed significant in vitro inhibitory activity against the clinical and reference strains of C. perfringens assayed. Conclusion: The study is the first demonstration of the inhibitory effect of P. cordata on C. perfringens, due to its antimicrobial properties, which serves as evidence supporting its folk use. The extracts could be used as coadjuvants in the treatment of gangrenous mastitis(AU)

Introducción: la mastitis gangrenosa es una presentación clínica especial de mastitis en el ganado y pequeños rumiantes. Persea cordata Mez. , es un árbol conocido en la etnoveterinaria brasileña, cuya corteza se utiliza en la curación de heridas en animales de granja. Objetivos: investigar el efecto antimicrobiano in vitro de fracciones apolares de la corteza de P. cordata contra una cepa salvaje de C. perfringens, aislada de la ubre de una vaca con mastitis gangrenosa y una cepa de referencia. Métodos: Se recogió una muestra de leche de la ubre, se diluyeron alícuotas, y se realizaron frotis teñidos por Gram. Las alícuotas fueron inoculadas en caldo y sembradas en agar sangre, y posteriormente incubados en anaerobiosis a 37 oC/24h. La identificación bioquímica fue realizada a partir del aislamiento bacteriano. La actividad inhibitoria in vitro de las fracciones apolares de P. cordata fue evaluada utilizando la técnica de difusión en agar y la CMI (concentración minima inhibitoria) mediante el método de dilución en agar. Resultados: los extractos de la planta, en ambas pruebas, presentaron significativa actividad inhibitoria in vitro contra las cepas clínica y de referencia de C. perfringens ensayadas. Conclusión: se concluyó que, por primera vez, se demuestra un efecto inhibitorio de P. cordata sobre C. perfringens, reforzando el uso popular, debido a sus propiedades antimicrobianas. Los extractos podrán ser utilizados como coadyuvantes en el tratamiento de la mastitis gangrenosa(AU)