RESUMO O óleo de Caryocar villosum é usado na medicina popular amazônica para tratar dores e condições inflamatórias. Assim, avaliamos as propriedades antiinflamatórias e antinociceptivas do extrato etanólico obtido das cascas dos frutos desta espécie. Os testes de contorções induzidas por ácido acético, hiperalgesia mecânica induzida por carragenina, formalina, edema de pata induzido por carragenina e peritonite induzida por carragenina foram usados em camundongos. O extrato etanólico de C. villosum obtido das cascas dos frutos inibiu significativamente o número de contorções abdominais, a hiperalgesia mecânica e o tempo de lambida da pata na segunda fase do teste de formalina. Na dose de 300 mg kg-1, o extrato também reduziu significativamente o volume de edema formado na fase tardia e reduziu o recrutamento de leucócitos e neutrófilos na cavidade peritoneal, bem como os níveis de quimiocina CXCL1. Sugere-se que o extrato atenua o recrutamento de leucócitos por meio da inibição da ativação de CXCL1. A atividade antinociceptiva periférica ocorre por meio da modulação da via opioide pois o pré-tratamento com o extrato etanólico de C. villosum reverteu a antinocicepção induzida pela naltrexona.

ABSTRACT The oil of Caryocar villosum is used in Amazonian folk medicine to treat pain and inflammatory conditions. So, we assessed the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of the ethanolic extract obtained from the fruit peels of this species. The acetic acid-induced writhing, carrageenan-induced mechanical hyperalgesia, formalin, carrageenan-induced paw edema and carrageenan-induced peritonitis tests were used on mice. The C. villosum ethanolic extract significantly inhibited the number of abdominal writhes, mechanical hyperalgesia and paw licking time in the second phase of the formalin test. At a dose of 300 mg kg-1, the extract also significantly reduced the volume of edema formed in the late phase and reduced the recruitment of leukocytes and neutrophils in the peritoneal cavity, as well as CXCL1 chemokine levels. It is suggested that the extract attenuates the leukocyte recruitment by inhibiting the CXCL1 activation. The peripheral antinociceptive activity occured through opioid pathway modulation because pretreatment with C. villosum ethanolic extract reversed the naltrexone-induced antinociception.

ABSTRACT Uses of medicinal plants by people around the world significantly contribute and guide biologically active compounds research that can be useful in the combat against various diseases. Due to a great chemical and structural variety found in their vegetal structures it consolidates ethnopharmacology as an important science for the pharmaceutical section. Inserted in the diversity of medicinal plants, is the Maytenus genus, whose research has already revealed lots of isolated substances which are responsible for a great variety of biological activities, among which we cite analgesic and anti-inflammatory, for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, gastritis, ulcers and gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this review article is to make a compendium of the Maytenus genus and its isolated chemical compounds, among them tingenone. The elucidation of its mechanism of action reveals promising sources for the development of new drugs specially targeted for the treatment of painful inflammatory diseases.

Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers, Bignoniaceae, is native to the Brazilian Cerrado and popularly known as "cipó-de-são-joão". In Brazilian folk medicine, the flowers of P. venusta are used as a general tonic and a treatment for diarrhea, vitiligo, cough, and common infections and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system. Nevertheless, there are still no studies on its possible anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. The P. venusta hydroethanolic extract (PvHE) was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in carrageenan-induced paw edema, peritonitis induced by lipopolysaccharide, acetic acid-induced writhing, and formalin-induced paw-licking tests in Swiss male mice. PvHE at doses of 30-300 mg/kg p.o. demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect. PvHE reduced paw edema induced by carrageenan and inhibited leukocyte recruitment into the peritoneal cavity. The extracts showed antinociceptive activity in acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin tests. Our results showed that the PvHE demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive action in mice. All the anti-inflammatory actions obtained are also suggested to due the presence of acacetin-7-O-β-glucopyranoside.