Planta Med 2003; 69(9): 851-853
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-43213
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Ternatin, an Anti-Inflammatory Flavonoid, Inhibits Thioglycolate-Elicited Rat Peritoneal Neutrophil Accumulation and LPS-Activated Nitric Oxide Production in Murine Macrophages

V. S. N. Rao1 , L. A. F. Paiva1 , M. F. Souza1 , A. R. Campos1 , R. A. Ribeiro1 , G. A. C. Brito1 , M. J. Teixeira2 , E. R. Silveira3
  • 1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
  • 2Núcleo de Medicina Tropical Prof. Joaquim Eduardo de Alencar, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
  • 3Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Further Information

Publication History

Received: January 7, 2003

Accepted: March 18, 2003

Publication Date:
04 November 2003 (online)

Abstract

Ternatin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid from Egletes viscosa Less., was examined for its possible influence on thioglycolate-elicited neutrophil influx into the rat peritoneal cavity in vivo and nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages ex vivo. The neutrophil influx induced by thioglycolate was found to be significantly lower in ternatin (25 and 50 mg/kg, s. c.) pre-treated rats with a similar magnitude of inhibition produced by dexamethasone (1 mg/kg, s. c.), a known anti-inflammatory agent. Also, peritoneal macrophages from ternatin (25 mg/kg)-treated mice that were exposed to LPS demonstrated significantly less production of nitric oxide (NO). These results suggest that ternatin exerts its anti-inflammatory action, at least in part, through inhibition of neutrophil migration and modulation of macrophage function.

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V. S. N. Rao

Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia

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