RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this work was to investigate the antiulcerogenic and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oil from Pterodon emarginatus seeds. METHODS: The following tests were used: ulcers induced by ethanol, indometacin and HCl/ethanol, and pleurisy induced by carrageenan in Swiss albino rats. The rats were treated by the oral route with essential oil of P. emarginatus seeds. KEY FINDINGS: The essential oil at 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg exhibited significant protection against ulcers induced by ethanol, indometacin and HCl/ethanol (P < 0.001). The essential oil caused a marked reduction in the exudate volume and inhibited leucocyte and neutrophil influx (P < 0.05) in carrageenan-induced pleurisy. Moreover, the essential oil significantly decreased nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) levels, without affecting tumour necrosis factor-alpha production. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated the marked antiulcerogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of the essential oil from P. emarginatus, which are, at least in part, a consequence of NO and IL-1 modulation. P. emarginatus or its constituents might represent new therapeutic options to treat gastric ulcers and inflammatory diseases.