Abstract
The anti-inflammatory properties of Loasa speciosa and Loasa triphylla (Loasaceae), Urtica leptuphylla and Urera baccifera (Urticaceae), and Chaptalia nutans (Asteracene) were studied using the carregeenan induced rat paw edema model. Aqueous extracts of each plant were made according to the ethnobotanical use. The hippocratic assay was made with female rats; the dose used was 500 mg/kg i.p. and the control group received 0.5 ml of n.s.s.. All the animals treated showed hypothermia, and those treated with the extracts of Chaptalia nutans, Urera baccifera and Urtica leptuphylla showed an increased colinergic activity. Acute toxicities of the aqueous extracts were studied in mice an the mean lethal doses ranged between 1.0226 and 1.2022 g/kg. The extracts of Urera baccifera, Chaptalia nutans, Loasa speciosa and Loasa triphylla (500 mg/kg i.p.) showed an anti-inflammatory activity comparable with that of indomethacin. The extracts of U. baccifera and C. nutans, which showed the greatest anti-inflammatory activity, did not show it when used orally (500 mg/kg p.o.).
Highlights
In traditional practice, medicinal plants are used to control inflammation in many countries.This has caused an increase in the number of experimental and clínica!
Leaf infusion of U. baccifera is emplyed on rheumatic pains (Morton 1981) and decoction of C. nutans is employed for soaking sore feet (Morton 1981)
This paper reports the results of a general hippocratic screening, the toxicity tests and the experimental valídation of the antiinflammatory activity of five plants used empirically py the CostaRican population as anti-inflammatory remedies
Summary
Medicinal plants are used to control inflammation in many countries.This has caused an increase in the number of experimental and clínica!. Investigations directed towards ihe validation of the anti-inflarnmatory properties which are putatively· attributed to thése remedies (Girón et al 1991, Kumar andBasu 1994). Leaf infusion of U. baccifera is emplyed on rheumatic pains (Morton 1981) and decoction of C. nutans is employed for soaking sore feet (Morton 1981). This paper reports the results of a general hippocratic screening, the toxicity tests and the experimental valídation of the antiinflammatory activity of five plants used empirically py the CostaRican population as anti-inflammatory remedies
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