Preliminary studies of analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of Caesalpinia ferrea crude extract.

The crude aqueous extract of the fruits of Caesalpinia ferrea Mart. (Leguminosae) has been investigated for possible anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. The carrageenan induced rat hind paw edema was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) by oral administration of 300 mg/kg of this extract. A centrally mediated analgesic effect was not observed, however, there was a dose dependent reduction in the number of total writhes induced by acetic acid.

Metil-eugenol: uma avaliaçäo laboratorial em animais / Methyl eugenol: laboratory evaluation in animals

O metil-eugenol (C11H14O2), peso molecular igual a 178 g, fraçäo oleosa essencial obtida da planta Caryophyllus aromaticus L, conhecida popularmente como "Craveiro-da-índia", provocou efeitos depressores centrais, com significativa açäo hipnótica e miorrelaxante nas doses de 40 mg.Kg-1 intraperitoneal para ratos e 5 mg.Kg-1 por via venosa para coelhos e cäes. Observamos tempo de induçäo rápido e duraçäo satisfatória do sono (118 ñ 4s e 47 ñ 3 min para ratos, respectivamente) e tempo de sono entre 9 e 12 minutos para coelhos e cäes. A evoluçäo anestésica em cäes mostrou resultados satisfatório, seguido de rápida recuperaçäo, com conseqüente deambulaçäo. O metil-eugenol (20 microng.ml-1) produziu reduçäo de 50% da força de contraçäo da musculatura atrial cardíaca ao final de 15 min, sem alteraçäo da freqüência cardíaca, cujos efeitos näo foram bloqueados pela atropina (25 microng.ml-1) e prontamente revertidos após lavagem. Na preparaçäo nervo frênico-músculo diafragma de rato o metil-eugenol (40 microng.ml-1) foi capaz de bloquear completamente as contraçöes musculares produzidas tanto por estímulo direto quanto por estímulo indireto, semelhantes ao efeito da lidocaína (200 microng.ml-1). Todos os efeitos foram revertidos após lavagem. Os autores concluem que o metil eugenol apresentou resultados significativos e pode vir a ser usado, alternativamente, em experimentos com animais de laboratório

Timbós: ichthyotoxic plants used by Brazilian Indians.

The pharmacology of serjanosides, active principles isolated from the fish-poison plant Serjania lethalis St. Hil, a Sapindaceae, was investigated by comparing their actions in fishes and mammals with those of rotenone and certain saponins. The ichthyocid activity of the serjanosides was 2.5 times greater than that of the crude plant extract, approximately 10 times lower than the activity of rotenone, but from 10 to 50 times greater than the activity of the other saponins. When injected in mammals, the serjanosides induced deep prostration, dyspnea, cyanosis, ectopic heart beats, cardiovascular failure and respiratory arrest. These effects, leading to death that was not prevented by artificial respiration, indicated several mechanisms for the toxic action of the serjanosides. In vitro studies with these substances have shown that membrane depolarization and muscle contracture were probably due to unspecific surface actions. Rotenone, under the same experimental conditions induced hypotension, bradycardia and respiratory arrest. Death was prevented by artificial respiration. Ectopic foci, membrane depolarization, contractures and neuromuscular block were not observed after rotenone. Apparently, death from rotenone poisoning was a consequence of respiratory failure of central origin. The serjanosides are rather potent fish poison saponins. Mammals, however, are apparently insensitive to the same specific action since other toxic effects induced by those substances in rats and mice were also observed by employing saponins devoid of fish-killing activity.