Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology (Nov 2018)

The Antinociceptive Effect of the Leaves and Flowers Ethanolic Extracts of Tabebuia aurea (Silva Manso) Benth & Hook. F. ex S. Moore

  • Suellen Maria Albuquerque da Silva,
  • Geraldo José da Silva Neto,
  • Ivenis Raphael Cavalcante do Nascimento,
  • Max Denisson Maurício Viana,
  • Alyne Almeida de Lima,
  • Pedro Henrique Simões Bezerra,
  • Maria Lysete de Assis Bastos,
  • Magna Suzana Alexandre Moreira,
  • Eliane Aparecida Campesatto

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4324-2018180367
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 61, no. 0

Abstract

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ABSTRACT In view of the traditional use of Tabebuia aurea for treating pain and inflammation, the antinociceptive pharmacological potential of T. aurea ethanolic extracts (TAEE) was investigated through in vivo experimental models. First, the MTT assay was conducted to determine the potential cytotoxicity of the TAEEs. Afterwards, the acetic acid-induced writhing test and the formalin-, and glutamate-induced nociception tests were performed on Swiss adult mice treated with TAEEs (100 and 200 mg/kg doses, p.o.), or saline solution (control groups, 10mL/kg, p.o.), or standard drugs: dipyrone 40 mg/kg (p.o.), and morphine 5,7 mg/kg (i.p). In the MTT assay, none of the tested concentrations demonstrated signals of cytotoxicity. In the in vivo experimental models of acetic acid-induced writhing and glutamate-induced nociception, all TAEEs doses were able to statistically reduce the nociceptive response. However, the TAEEs did not show significant decrease in the amount of time that the animals spent licking the stimulated paw in the neurogenic phase of formalin-induced nociception test, differently of what was observed in the inflammatory phase. The results showed that T. aurea species induce an antinociceptive effect in rodents, which encourages the study of new drugs and contributes to the research on natural products.

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