Rev Biol Trop. 1999 Sep; 47(3): 365-71.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Urera baccifera (Urticaceae) in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Badilla B, Mora G, Lapa AJ, Emim JA.

Instituto de InvestigaciÃ³n en Ciencias FarmacÃ©uticas (INIFAR), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Costa Rica, San JosÃ©, Costa Rica.bbadilla@cariari,ucr.ac.cr

On a preliminary test, anti-inflammatory and analgesic dose-related activities on rats were observed for the aqueous fraction of Urera baccifera; this extract was bioassay-guided fractionated and the final aqueous fraction was used according the ethnobotanical use. Carrageenan-induced edema (n = 6), was used as an assay in the fractionating process. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of the final aqueous fraction were studied using in vivo models. For the anti-inflammatory activity rat paw edema (n = 6), pleurisy induced by carrageenan (n = 6) and ear edema induced by topical croton oil (n = 6) models were used, and tail-flick test (n = 6), abdominal constrictions induced by acetic acid (n = 6), and formalin test (n = 6), were used for the antinociceptive activity. The tests performed showed an inhibition effect on leukocyte migration, and a reduction on pleural exudate, as well as dose-dependant peripheral analgesic activity, at a range of 25-100 mg/kg i.p. The final aqueous fraction contains most of the anti-inflammatory activity of the plant U. baccifera. A possible mechanism of action is discussed and based on the results we conclude that this plant has a potential for both anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity at the clinical level.