Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Hypericum brasiliense (Willd) standardized extract / Atividades anti-inflamatória e analgésica de extratos padronizados de Hypericum brasiliense (Willd)

As atividades antiinflamatória e antinociceptiva do extrato padronizado de Hypericum brasiliense (HBSE) (Guttiferae) foi avaliada em modelos animais. Ratos Wistar machos foram tratados com extrato de H. brasiliense (50, 250 e 500 mg/kg, v.o.) em solução 3 por cento Tween 80 0,9 por cento NaCl. O tratamento com HBSE (500 mg/kg) mostrou inibição significativa sobre o edema induzido por carragenina comparado ao grupo controle. Nessa dose, o edema foi reduzido em 31,25 por cento na terceira hora (pico do edema) após o tratamento, mas na dose de 50 mg/kg, o edema apresentou redução de 53,13 por cento (p < 0,05). Ainda com a dose de 50 mg/kg, a diminuição do edema induzido por dextrana foi similar ao controle positivo, ciproeptadina. Houve diminuição na formação do tecido granulomatoso (6,6 por cento) comparável ao grupo controle. O HBSE também inibiu o número de contorções abdominais em 46,4 por cento, estatisticamente igual ao controle positivo, tratado com indometacina (42,9 por cento). Na dose de 250 mg/kg, houve inibição do número de contorções em 70,7 por cento quando comparado ao grupo controle (p < 0,001). No teste da placa-quente, foi verificado aumento no tempo de latência com a dose de 50 mg/kg. Os resultados demonstram que o HBSE possui atividade antiinflamatória sobre processos agudos, principalmente quando sua gênese está relacionada à síntese dos derivados do ácido araquidônico, e seu efeito analgésico provavelmente envolve ação sobre o Sistema Nervoso Central.

The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of the standardized leaves extract (HBSE) of Hypericum brasiliense (Guttiferae) were evaluated in animal models. Male Wistar rats were treated with H. brasiliense extract (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) in 3 percent Tween 80 0.9 percent saline solution. The treatment of the edema induced by carrageenin with HBSE (500 mg/kg) showed significant inhibition when compared to the control group. At this dose, the edema decreased by 31.25 percent in the third hour after treatment (edema peak), but the dose of 50 mg/kg has inhibited the edema by 53.13 percent (p < 0.05). At the dose of 50 mg/kg, the decrease of the edema induced by dextran was similar to that caused by cyproheptadine. The decrease of the formation of granulomatous tissue (6.6 percent) was comparable to the control group. The HBSE inhibited the abdominal constrictions induced by acetic acid. At a dose of 50 mg/kg, the inhibition of the abdominal constrictions (46.4 percent) was comparable to that produced by indomethacin (42.9 percent). A dose of 250 mg/kg inhibited these constrictions by 70.66 percent when compared to control (p < 0.001). In the hot-plate test, an increase in the latency time was observed at a 50 mg/kg dose. These data suggest that HBSE has anti-inflammatory activity on acute process, developed principally by arachdonic acid derivates and analgesic effect due to its probable involvement in the Central Nervous System.

Effects of the essential oil obtained from Pilocarpus spicatus Saint-Hilaire (Rutaceae) on the development of Rhodnius prolixus nymphae

Bioassays against fifth-instar nymphae of Rhodnius prolixus were conducted with essential oil of Pilocarpus spicatus extracted by hydrodistillation. The main results may be summarized as follows: (i) high levels of toxicity and paralysis together with discrete moulting inhibition were caused by topical application of either 0.5 µL or 1.0 µL per insect of the crude essential oil; (ii) partial fagoinhibition, high moulting inhibition, prolonged intermoulting period and high number of paralyzed insects, but no toxicity were observed after oral treatment using either 5 µL or 10 µL of Pilocarpus spilcatus essential oil per mL of ingested blood meal. The importance of these results in relation to the relevant biological events in R. prolixus is herein discussed.

Bioensaios contra ninfas de 5º estádio de Rhodnius prolixus foram conduzidos utilizando-se óleo essencial de Pilocarpus spicatus extraído por hidrodestilação. Os principais resultados podem ser resumidos como se segue: (i) altos níveis de toxicidade e paralisia associados à discreta inibição da muda foram induzidos pela aplicação tópica de 0,5 µL ou 1,0 µL do óleo essencial por inseto; (ii) fagoinibição parcial, altos níveis de inibição da muda, período intermuda prolongado e alto número de insetos paralisados mas ausência de toxicidade foram observados após tratamento oral com 5,0 µL ou 10 µL de óleo essencial de P. spicatus por mL de sangue ingerido. A importância destes resultados em relação a eventos biológicos relevantes em R. prolixus é aqui discutida.

The official use of medicinal plants in public health

Medicinal plants are widely employed in both rural and urban Brazil, many in accordance with traditional practices that were developed by the native population or were brought to the country by immigrant peoples from Europe, Africa and Asia. Their use in official public health care requires however more than traditional knowledge. Recently published laws which will come into force by the end of the century, require that scientific evidence be brought to support the popular use, that possible toxicity, especially when chronic use is contemplated, be known to the medical profession and that the raw plant material and final formulation have a chemical composition that lies within limits that can be specific and checked by analysis. Clinical evidence of efficacy should be provided and wherever possible some indication of the mechanism of action and what components of the original plant contribute to this action, are desirable. At the same time, once a plant of given chemical compositon is approved for use, then its widespread production must be organized in such a way that suppy of a product of established quality meets the demand.