Antihyperalgesic Activity of Quillaic Acid Obtained from Quillaja Saponaria Mol

BACKGROUND

Quillaja saponaria Mol. bark contains a high concentration of triterpene saponins that have been used for centuries as a cleansing, antiinflammatory and analgesic agent in Chilean folk medicine. In earlier studies, in mice, both the anti-inflammatory as well as the antinociceptive effect of the major sapogenin, quillaic acid have been demonstrated (QA).

OBJECTIVE

To determine the antihyperalgesic effect of QA one and seven days after itpl administration of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in male mice using the hot plate test in the presence of complete Freund's adjuvant (HP/CFA) as an acute and chronic skeletal muscle pain model.

METHODS

The present study evaluated the antihyperalgesic activity of QA against acute and chronic skeletal muscle pain models in mice using the hot plate test in the presence of complete Freund's adjuvant (HP/CFA), at 24 h (acute assay) and 7 days (chronic assay) , with dexketoprofen (DEX) as the reference drug.

RESULTS

In acute and chronic skeletal muscle pain assays, QA at 30 mg/kg ip elicited its maximal antihyperalgesic effects (65.0% and 53.4%) at 24 h and 7 days, respectively. The maximal effect of DEX (99.0 and 94.1 at 24 h and 7 days, respectively) was induced at 100 mg/kg.

CONCLUSION

QA and DEX elicit dose-dependent antihyperalgesic effects against acute and chronic skeletal muscle pain, but QA is more potent than DEX in the early and late periods of inflammatory pain induced by CFA.

Antinociceptive activity of Quillaja saponaria Mol. saponin extract, quillaic acid and derivatives in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Quillaja saponaria bark contains a high percentage of triterpene saponins and has been used for centuries as a cleansing and analgesic agent in Chilean folk medicine.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The topical and systemic analgesic effects of a commercial partially purified saponin extract, 3β,16α-dihydroxy-23-oxoolean-12-en-28-oic acid (quillaic acid), methyl 3β,16α-dihydroxy-23-oxoolean-12-en-28-oate and methyl 4-nor-3,16-dioxoolean-12-en-28-oate.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The samples were assessed in mice using the topical tail-flick and i.p. hot-plate tests, respectively.

RESULTS

All the samples showed activity in both analgesic tests in a dose-dependent manner. The most active against tail flick test was commercial partially purified saponin extract (EC50 27.9 mg%, w/v) and more than the ibuprofen sodium. On hot-plate test, methyl 4-nor-3, 16-dioxoolean-12-en-28-oate was the most active (ED50 12.2 mg/kg) and more than the ibuprofen sodium.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study demonstrated that Quillaja saponaria saponins, quillaic acid, its methyl ester, and one of the oxidized derivatives of the latter, elicit dose-dependent antinociceptive effects in two murine thermal models.

Antinociceptive activity of Buddleja globosa (matico) in several models of pain

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Leaf extracts of Buddleja globosa (Buddlejaceae) are used in Chilean folk medicine for wound healing. The anti-inflammatory (topic and per os), analgesic (per os) effects and the antioxidant activity of Buddleja globosa were for the first time reported by us.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Assess the antinociceptive activity of the methanol sequential and global extracts using complementary chemical and thermal models of pain, characterize pharmacologically the antinociception induced, evaluate seasonal influence to support Buddleja globosa medicinal use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Global methanol, sequential methanol and ethanol (leaves collected in autumn and summer) extracts were evaluated for oral and topic analgesia in tail flick, formalin and writhing models, verbascoside and 7-O-luteolin glucoside were assayed in tail flick and writhing. Ibuprofen was used as reference. For characterization of induced antinociception, naltrexone, naltrindole, tropisetron, nor-binaltorphimine, prazosin, yohimbine, atropine, and N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester were used as antagonists and inhibitors drugs.

RESULTS

Seasonal influence was observed since autumn extract resulted less active. Extracts showed a dose-dependent antinociceptive activity in all assays, the highest effects were obtained for the formalin and writhing test. Verbascoside was more active than ibuprofen in the writhing test (67.6% and 50.0% at equimolar doses) and showed similar effects in the tail flick (topic and oral) near 25% at equivalent doses - ED25 or EC25 - to ibuprofen. Luteolin 7-O-glucoside was slightly more active in the tail flick test and nearly half active than verbascoside in the writhing assay. Effectiveness was higher for the sequential than for global alcoholic extracts, and can be increased by selective blocking of opioid receptors. Global methanol extract seems modulated only by naltrexone.

CONCLUSIONS

Analgesic effect of Buddleja globosa is here demonstrated validating its use in traditional medicine. Season influence is important to be considered.