Association of Pterodon pubescens and Cordia verbenacea in inflammation and thermal nociception models

Pterodon pubescens (Pp) and Cordia verbenacea (Cv) species are traditionally used in Brazilian folk medicine for the known anti-inflammatory effects [1]. The purpose of this study was to assess the synergistic effect of the dichloromethane extract from the fruits of Pp with the essential oil from leaves of Cv in paw edema induced by carrageenan, hot plate and tail flick models. All animals (male Swiss mice n = 6) were orally treated with the association of the extracts based on their ED_50, corresponding to: A₅₀ (32.5 mg/kg of Pp + 82.5 mg/kg of Cv); A₁₀₀ (65 mg/kg of Pp + 165 mg/kg of Cv) and A₂₀₀ (130 mg/kg of Pp + 330 mg/kg of Cv). All experimental animal procedures were approved by Ethics Committee n° 3181 – 1. In hot plate and tail flick models, all associations tested did not show significant efficacy against nociception due to thermal stimulation. In paw edema induced by carrageenan, the 3 associations tested showed a significant reduction of edema from the fourth hour after carrageenan administration, the activity remaining after 48 hours. From the fourth hour of evaluation, A₂₀₀ showed 26% inhibition in the volume of edema when compared to the vehicle (negative control). After 6 hours of edema induction, A₅₀ and A₁₀₀ doses, respectively, showed inhibition of edema in 19% and 23%, while A₂₀₀ showed reduction of approximately 39% when compared to vehicle. After 24 and 48 hours of edema induction, all associations showed reduction of approximately 32% when compared to vehicle. The results demonstrated that the associations showed a significant anti-edematogenic activity, but did not show significant results in thermal stimulus models. Therefore this extracts association may represent a potential therapeutic advantage for the clinical treatment of inflammation.

[1] Dutra, R.C. et al. Pharmacol Res 2016; 112, 4 – 29.