RESUMO
Ethanolic extracts from 15 plant species, representing eight different families, used in traditional medicine in Ecuador were evaluated for antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities. Conyza floribunda, Eupatorium articulatum, Bonafousia longituba, Bonafousia sananho, Tagetes pusilla and Piper lenticellosum extracts showed a significant antiinflammatory activity in vivo in the carrageenan-induced paw oedema model in mice. The extracts were also tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation and to scavenge superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. E. articulatum extract possesses both activities. Baccharis trinervis, E. articulatum and Phytolacca rivinoides extracts were active as antioxidants.
Assuntos
Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Medicina Tradicional , Plantas Medicinais/química , Animais , Equador , Edema/induzido quimicamente , Edema/prevenção & controle , Etanol , Feminino , Sequestradores de Radicais Livres/farmacologia , Radical Hidroxila/metabolismo , Técnicas In Vitro , Peroxidação de Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Camundongos , Microssomos/efeitos dos fármacos , Microssomos/metabolismo , Microssomos Hepáticos/efeitos dos fármacos , Microssomos Hepáticos/metabolismo , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Superóxidos/metabolismo , Xantina Oxidase/metabolismoRESUMO
Folk medicinal plants are potential sources of useful therapeutic compounds including some with antiviral activities. Extracts prepared from 10 South American medicinal plants (Baccharis trinervis, Baccharis teindalensis, Eupatorium articulatum, Eupatorium glutinosum, Tagetes pusilla, Neurolaena lobata, Conyza floribunda, Phytolacca bogotensis, Phytolacca rivinoides and Heisteria acuminata) were screened for in vitro antiviral activity against herpes simplex type I (HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and poliovirus type 1. The most potent inhibition was observed with an aqueous extract of B. trinervis, which inhibited HSV-1 replication by 100% at 50-200 micrograms/mL, without showing cytotoxic effects. Good activities were also found with the ethanol extract of H. acuminata and the aqueous extract of E. articulatum, which exhibited antiviral effects against both DNA and RNA viruses (HSV-1 and VSV, respectively) at 125-250 micrograms/mL. The aqueous extracts of T. pusilla (100-250 micrograms/mL), B. teindalensis (50-125 micrograms/mL) and E. glutinosum (50-125 micrograms/mL) also inhibited the replication of VSV, but none of the extracts tested had any effect on poliovirus replication.