Antiinflammatory activity and acute toxicity of Dodonaea viscosa

The hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) of the leaves of Dodonaea viscosa, given by oral route at dose of 300 mg/kg, significantly inhibited the paw edema induced by carrageenin injection. The extract did not show any sign of toxicity in mice up to 5000 mg/kg p.o. This result seems to support the use of D. viscosa leaves ethanolic extract in relieving inflammation.

Inhibition of NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase, Na+/K+-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase activities by subchronic treatment with Casearia sylvestris

The aqueous extract of Casearia sylvestris was tested in cortical membrane preparations. C. sylvestris was obtained commercially from two different sources, designated as Sample A and Sample B. The enzymes studied in this work were NTPDase-like, 5'-Nucleotidase, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Adult rats received aqueous extracts from C. sylvestris in a dose of 20mg/kg body wt. daily for a 75-day-period, by oral administration (gavage). Our study showed that this treatment caused an inhibition of NTPDase-like activity with both, ATP (19.41% with Sample A and 25.03% with Sample B) and ADP (41.57% with Sample A and 31.20% with Sample B) as substrates. This treatment also caused an inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase activity (28.34% with Sample A and 31.46% with Sample B) and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (25.08% with Sample A and 24.81% with Sample B). The rate of acetylcholine degradation was reduced, as shown by the inhibition of AChE (31.65% and 26.74%, Samples A and B, respectively). These results suggest that extracts of C. sylvestris can cause neurochemical alterations in the purinergic and cholinergic systems of the central nervous system.