Open AccessAntiulcerogenic and anti‐inflammatory activities of the essential oil from Pterodon emarginatus seeds
Author(s) -
Dutra Rafael C.,
Fava Marcelo B.,
Alves Caio CS.,
Ferreira Ana P.,
Barbosa Nádia R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 2042-7158
pISSN - 0022-3573
DOI - 10.1211/jpp.61.02.0015
Subject(s) - essential oil , carrageenan , exudate , indometacin , pleurisy , nitric oxide , traditional medicine , chemistry , medicine , pharmacology , biochemistry , food science , pathology , cyclooxygenase , enzyme , pleural effusion , prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase
Objectives The objective of this work was to investigate the antiulcerogenic and anti‐inflammatory activities of the essential oil from Pterodon emarginatus seeds. Methods The following tests were used: ulcers induced by ethanol, indometacin and HCl/ethanol, and pleurisy induced by carrageenan in Swiss albino rats. The rats were treated by the oral route with essential oil of P. emarginatus seeds. Key findings The essential oil at 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg exhibited significant protection against ulcers induced by ethanol, indometacin and HCl/ethanol ( P < 0.001). The essential oil caused a marked reduction in the exudate volume and inhibited leucocyte and neutrophil influx ( P < 0.05) in carrageenan‐induced pleurisy. Moreover, the essential oil significantly decreased nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin‐1 (IL‐1) levels, without affecting tumour necrosis factor‐α production. Conclusions The results demonstrated the marked antiulcerogenic and anti‐inflammatory effects of the essential oil from P. emarginatus , which are, at least in part, a consequence of NO and IL‐1 modulation. P. emarginatus or its constituents might represent new therapeutic options to treat gastric ulcers and inflammatory diseases.