Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE
Poncianella pyramidalis (Leguminosae) is a Caatinga plant used in folk medicine because of its pharmacological properties, which include anti-inflammatory action. However, chemical compounds responsible for this effect have not yet been identified.


AIM OF THE STUDY
This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the ethyl acetate fraction from the inner bark of P. pyramidalis.


MATERIAL AND METHODS
Total phenol content (TP) was estimated using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, while in vitro antioxidant activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Chemical identification was done using LC-PDA/MS and LC-ESI/MS/MS. In vivo antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties were investigated using formalin, mechanical hypernociception and carrageenan-induced pleurisy assays in mice.


RESULTS
TP was 525.08 ± 17.49 μg mg-1 gallic acid equivalent. The ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) inhibited 87.76% of the DPPH radical with an EC50 of 22.94 μg mL-1 and Antioxidant Activity Index of 1.74. LC-PDA/MS and LC-ESI/MS/MS identified 15 compounds that are mostly derived from gallic and ellagic acids. Regarding in vivo antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity, EAF (100 mg kg-1) significantly reduced the nociceptive response in the second phase of the formalin assay by 50% (p < 0.01) compared with the control group. In the hypernociception test, a significant (p < 0.001) anti-hyperalgesic effect of EAF (100 mg kg-1) was observed up to the third hour of evaluation (p < 0.001). In the carrageenan assay, EAF (100 mg kg-1) was shown to inhibit protein extravasation, increase total leukocytes and neutrophils, and inhibit mononuclear cells.


CONCLUSION
These results demonstrate EAF from the inner bark of P. pyramidalis has strong in vitro antioxidant effect as well as in vivo antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities, which may be attributed to the bark being rich in phenolic compounds derived from gallic acid.
['Zelice da Cruz de Moraes|Sabrina|S|', 'Shan|Andrea Yu Kwan Villar|AYKV|', 'Oliveira Melo|Marlange Almeida|MA|', 'Pereira da Silva|Juliane|J|', 'Rocha Santos Passos|Fabiolla|F|', 'de Souza Graça|Ariel|A|', 'Araújo|Brancilene Santos de|BS|', 'Quintans|Jullyana de Souza Siqueira|JSS|', 'Quintans Júnior|Lucindo José|LJ|', 'Oliveira Barreto|Emiliano de|E|', 'Brandão|Geraldo Célio|GC|', 'Estevam|Charles Dos Santos|CDS|']
D000085:Acetates D000700:Analgesics D000818:Animals D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents D000975:Antioxidants D002351:Carrageenan D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug D007887:Fabaceae D008297:Male D051379:Mice D010147:Pain Measurement D010636:Phenols D024301:Plant Bark D010936:Plant Extracts
Poincianella Phenolic Hypernociception Carrageenan Hyperalgesic