Abstract
Plants belonging to the genus Maytenus (Celastraceae) are routinely used in folk medicine for the treatment of pain and inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the in vivo anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the root extracts and tingenone, a natural triterpene, from Maytenus imbricata Mart. ex. Reissek. Oral pre-treatment with methanol extract (ME), ethyl acetate extract (EAE) (both 100 to 1000 mg/kg) and tingenone (5.3, 15.9 and 53 mg/kg) significantly reduced the licking time in the second phase of the formalin test. Hexane/ethyl ether (1:1) extract (HEE) reduced the licking time in both phases of the formalin test and inhibited carrageenan-induced edema formation in mice. These results show that the three extracts and tingenone had significant anti-nociceptive effects in the second phase of the chemical behavioral model of nociception. Therefore, M. imbricata root extracts and tingenone, a natural quinone-methide triterpene, constitute an attractive alternative to relieve pain. Key words: Painful disorders, antinociception, Maytenus imbricate, triterpenes, tingenone.
Highlights
The identification of molecular components responsible for pain has led to major advances in understanding pain and developing new pharmacological tools for its treatment (Woolf, 2004)
In the second phase of the formalin test, the ethyl acetate extract (EAE) (P = 0.0004), methanol extract (ME) and Hexane/ethyl ether (1:1) extract (HEE) induced a significant antinociceptive effect at doses of 100 to 1000 mg/kg p.o compared to the control group
In the first phase of the formalin test, the HEE induced a significant antinociceptive effect at doses of 300 to 1000 mg/kg p.o. compared to the control group (P < 0.0001; Figure 2A), Licking time (s)
Summary
The identification of molecular components responsible for pain has led to major advances in understanding pain and developing new pharmacological tools for its treatment (Woolf, 2004). It has been demonstrated that these components inhibit the molecular targets of pro-inflammatory mediators (Iwalewa et al, 2007). The Celastraceae family comprises approximately 98 genera and 1210 species throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world (Simmons et al, 2008) and has been widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as stomach complaints, fever, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer (Spivey et al, 2002). Maytenus is a genus of this family, and its Veloso et al 69 species are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastric disorders, inflammatory diseases and pain, among other disorders (Baggio et al, 2009; Sosa et al, 2007; Niero et al, 2011). Excell reduced edema induced by croton oil in mice (Sosa et al, 2007), and the hydroalcoholic extract of Maytenus robusta had gastroprotective activity in rats (de Andrade et al, 2007)
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