Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activities of the ethanol extract from Desmodium caudatum.

CONTEXT: In folk medicine in China, Desmodium caudatum (Thunb.) DC (Leguminosae) has been used to treat febrile diseases, rheumatic arthritis, and bacillary dysentery; nevertheless, there have been no reports on the analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory effects of this plant in animals. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activities of D. caudatum extract (DCE) in animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analgesic effect of DCE was measured in mice using the acetic acid-induced writhing test and the hot-plate test. The anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model and the dimethylbenzene-induced mouse inflammation model. The antipyretic effect was estimated using the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rat fever model. In addition, the acute oral toxicity of DCE was studied. RESULTS: DCE significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the writhing responses in mice, increased reaction time in mice in the hot-plate test, reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats and the dimethylbenzene-induced ear edema in mice, and attenuated LPS-induced fever in rats. Furthermore, no death was observed when mice were orally administered DCE up to 40 g/kg. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: DCE possesses evident analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activities, and has a favorable safety, which supports the use of D. caudatum as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drug in folk medicine.

Essential oil from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong induces apoptosis in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.

CONTEXT: Hypertrophic scarring following surgical procedures, trauma and especially burns can lead to severe functional and cosmetic impairment, causing a decrease in the quality of life. Although a wide choice of treatments is offered, few therapeutic methods are universally accepted because of their side effects. OBJECTIVE: The effects of the essential oil (EO) extracted from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Umbelliferae) in human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs) are investigated for the first time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chemical composition of hydrodistilled EO obtained from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effects of EO on cell viability, apoptosis rate, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase-3 in HSFs were investigated. RESULTS: The experimental results showed that EO significantly inhibited cell viability, elicited morphological changes and induced apoptosis in HSFs. EO also evidently increased the loss of MMP, the levels of LDH release and cellular ROS production, and the activity of caspase-3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: EO-induced apoptosis was at least partially carried out via destruction of the intracellular antioxidant system and elicitation of excessive ROS accumulation in HSFs, which impaired mitochondrial membranes and elicited caspase-3 activation. EO could be an effective cure for human hypertrophic scar.

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the petroleum ether fraction from the ethanol extract of Desmodium podocarpum.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Desmodium podocarpum is a plant that has been used in the folk medicine to treat febrile diseases, cough and bleeding wounds. However, there is no scientific basis or reports in the modern literature regarding its effectiveness as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic agent. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The objective of this study is to evaluate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the petroleum ether fraction (PEF) from the ethanol extract of Desmodium podocarpum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PEF (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) was estimated for its pharmacological properties by using the acetic acid-induced writhing test, the hot plate test, the Carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model, the dimethylbenzene-induced mouse inflammation model, and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rat fever model. In addition, the acute toxicity of PEF was also studied. RESULTS: PEF significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the writhing responses in mice, increased reaction time of mice in the hot plate test, reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats and the dimethylbenzene-induced ear edema in mice, and attenuated LPS-induced fever in rats. No death of mice was observed when orally administered PEF up to 4.2 g/kg. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PEF possesses evident analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities, and has a favorable safety, which supports the use of Desmodium podocarpum as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drug in the folk medicine.