Investigations on the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities of the leaves of Uncaria guianensis (Aublet) J. F. Gmelin

• DOI: 10.1007/s10787-006-1509-5
• Publication Date: 2006-05-02T13:27:12Z
• Authors: M. V. Carvalho; C. Penido; A. C. Siani; L. M. M. Valente; M. G. M. O. Henri...
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Cell Survival; Plant Extracts; Chemokine CXCL1; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Nitric Oxide; 3. Good health; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Plant Leaves; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; Disease Models, Animal; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Anti-Allergic Agents; Macrophages, Peritoneal; Animals; Edema; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Chemokines, CXC; Pleurisy; Cells, Cultured

Uncaria guianensis (Aublet) J. F. Gmelin is an herbal medicine from tropical areas of South and Central America. We investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties of an ethanolic extract of U. guianensis leaves, containing alkaloids, flavonoids and phenol carboxylic acids, as revealed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Oral pre-treatment with U. guianensis inhibited zymosan-induced paw oedema (500 mg/paw) and pleural exudation (100 mg/kg) within 4 h (25-200 mg/kg). U. guianensis (100 mg/kg) inhibited total leukocyte and neutrophil numbers in the pleural cavity 4 h after zymosan stimulation. Pre-treatment with U. guianensis (100 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited total leukocyte, neutrophil and eosinophil recruitment into the pleural cavity 24 h after LPS (250 ng/cavity, i.t.). Pre-treatment with U. guianensis inhibited paw oedema (25-200 mg/kg) induced by ovalbumin (OVA) within 1 h, and neutrophil and eosinophil recruitment into the mice pleural cavity 24 h after OVA (100 mg/kg). In vitro data revealed that U. guianensis impaired LPS-induced nitric oxide and CXCL8 generation by murine peritoneal macrophages, as well as OVA-induced interleukin-5 synthesis by previously sensitized spleen cells. These results demonstrate that U. guianensis leaves provide effective anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities.