Abstract
Medicinal plants hold a significant place as alternative treatments available for inflammatory diseases, with many phytoconstituents being frequently tested in vitro for their biological activities. In the current study, we investigated the in vivo anti-inflammatory properties of a novel active gel formulation, combining Achillea millefolium and Taxodium distichum essential oils with extracts of Aesculus hippocastanum seeds and Plantago lanceolata leaves. The toxicity of the obtained extracts and volatile oils was determined using the invertebrate model based on Daphnia magna. Anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated by the plethysmometric method on Wistar rats, expressed as the inhibition of the inflammatory oedema (%IIO), while the antinociceptive response was determined on NMRI mice, according to the tail-flick latency method. The tested gel’s efficacy was similar to the 5% diclofenac standard (maximal %IIO of 42.01% vs. 48.70%, respectively), with the anti-inflammatory effect being observed sooner than for diclofenac. Our active gel also produced a significant prolongation of tail-flick latencies at both 60 and 120 min, comparable to diclofenac. Consequently, we can imply that the active constituents present in vivo anti-inflammatory properties, and the prepared gel may be suited for use as an alternative treatment of topical inflammatory conditions.
Highlights
Inflammation comprises a plethora of intricate biological responses induced by the presence of various harmful agents that lead to cellular and tissue damage
Achillea millefolium was purchased from a local store, Plantago lanceolata leaves and Aesculus hippocastanum seeds were provided by Hofigal SA (Romania) and Taxodium distichum fresh female cones were harvested in Bucharest
The ratio of 3 to 1 for the solid extracts was chosen based on the low toxicity of Plantago lanceolata leaves showed by the high values of LC50 compared to the Aesculus hippocastanum seeds extract
Summary
Inflammation comprises a plethora of intricate biological responses induced by the presence of various harmful agents that lead to cellular and tissue damage. Its mechanisms aim at removing the cause of cell injury and initiating tissue repair [1]. The disruption of tissue homeostasis marks the onset of the inflammatory cascade, as the immune system produces a series of pro-inflammatory mediators, e.g., interleukins, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide and prostaglandins [2,3]. The local microcirculation is affected, with other blood proteins and blood cells that mediate inflammatory response being attracted to the damaged tissue site through vasodilation and increased vascular permeability [4]. We know that humans have been preoccupied for millennia with treating a number of injuries and diseases, including the ones of an inflammatory nature. Egyptian papyruses from as early as 3400 B.C. listed various plants of medicinal importance, a number of them
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