Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of cellular and extracellular extracts from microalga Chlamydomonas pumilioniformis on mice

Microalga species have attracted interest as a source of bioactive compounds with several pharmacological activities. Previous studies reported that microalgae from the genus Chlamydomonas have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of two extracts from microalga Chlamydomonas pumilioniformis were investigated. Cellular and extracellular extracts were prepared from a 14 day-batch culture in WC medium at the end of exponential growth and their carbohydrate contents were determined. Antinociceptive effects of extracts were evaluated by writhing and formalin-induced nociception tests, while the anti-inflammatory activity was analyzed by formalin-induced paw edema in mice. The analysis of dissolved carbohydrates detected amounts of 90 and 20 µg mL-1 of total carbohydrate in cellular and extracellular extracts, respectively. Cellular extract was mainly composed of glucose, but with significant proportions of arabinose, galactose and mannose and/or xylose and minor ones of fucose, rhamnose, amino sugars and uronic acids. Extracellular extract was composed of a similar proportion of glucose, galactose and mannose/xylose, besides significant ones of arabinose, fucose and galacturonic acid. Intraperitoneal administration of extracts significantly reduced writhing response in mice. In the formalin test, the extracellular extract inhibited both formalin phases, while the cellular extract was only effective in the late phase. Furthermore, extracts reduced the formalin-induced paw edema. In sum, we showed, for the first time, that C. pumilioniformis can be an important source of polysaccharides with anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.

Antinociceptive and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Marine Sponges Aplysina Caissara, Haliclona sp. and Dragmacidon Reticulatum

ABSTRACT Marine sponges are a rich source of bioactive natural products with multiple pharmacological properties. In this study, the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of extracts obtained from Aplysina caissara, Haliclona sp. and Dragmacidon reticulatum were evaluated by using the writhing test and formalin-induced mouse paw edema model in mice. All extracts were administered via oral pathway in the doses of 60 and 90 mg/kg. In the writhing test the pre-treatment with all sponges resulted in significant inhibition of the acetic acid-induced response, suggesting an antinociceptive effect. The formalin test showed that the extracts from A. caissara, Haliclona sp. and D. reticulatum, in the tested doses, did not affect the first formalin phase, however, they were effective in the late phase. To assess the potential anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts, the test of formalin-induced paw edema was used. The oral administration of A. caissara, Haliclona sp. and D. reticulatum extracts significantly reduced the formalin-induced paw edema in mice. In conclusion, our data show that marine sponges can be an important source of anti-inflammatory and antinocicpetive products that can be promising therapeutical leads. Furthermore, pharmacological and chemical studies have been developed not only to characterize the mechanism(s) that is/are responsible for the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory action but also to identify the active principles of sponges.