Anti-inflammatory activity of Urera baccifera (Urticaceae) in Sprague-Dawley rats

• Main Authors: Beatriz Badilla, Gerardo Mora, Antonio José Lapa, Jose Arthur Silva Emim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vicerractoría Investigación 1999-09-01
• Series: Revista de Biología Tropical
• Subjects: Urera baccifera
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77441999000300008&lng=en&tlng=en

On a preliminary test, anti-inflammatory and analgesic dose-related activities on rats were observed for the aqueous fraction of Urera baccifera; this extract was bioassay-guided fractionated and the final aqueous fraction was used according the ethnobotanical use. Carrageenan-induced edema (n=6), was used as an assay in the fractionating process. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of the final aqueous fraction were studied using in vivo models. For the anti-inflammatory activity rat paw edema (n=6), pleurisy induced by carrageenan (n=6) and ear edema induced by topical croton oil (n=6) models were used, and tail-flick test (n=6), abdominal constrictions induced by acetic acid (n=6), and formalin test (n=6), were used for the antinociceptive activity. The tests performed showed an inhibition effect on leukocyte migration, and a reduction on pleural exudate, as well as dose-dependant peripheral analgesic activity, at a range of 25-100 mg/kg i.p. The final aqueous fraction contains most of the anti-inflammatory activity of the plant U. baccifera. A possible mechanism of action is discussed and based on the results we conclude that this plant has a potential for both anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity at the clinical level.