Anti-inflammatory and sedative activities of Peperomia galioides: in vivo studies in mice

Abstract

Aerial parts (leaves, flowers, stem) of Peperomia galioides extract administered to mice, was used to confirm its anti-inflammatory and sedative folk uses. The anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by croton oil-induced ear oedema and myeloperoxidase (acute inflammation); cotton pellet-induced granuloma (sub-acute inflammation) and Escherichia coli Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation (cellular mediators). The sedative activity was studied by the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time test. Single doses (300 and 600 mg/kg; i.p.) of the extract reduced croton oil-induced ear oedema and myeloperoxidase activity. Six days administration of the extract (300 mg/kg, i.p.) to mice implanted with cotton pellets diminished granuloma formation. LPS (20 mg/kg, i.p.) enhanced plasma nitrites and TNF-α levels that were inhibited by the extract. The duration but not the onset of sleeping time was enhanced by 300 and 600 mg/kg of the extract. Our results show that P. galioides has anti-inflammatory and sedative activities in mice, which validates its traditional use.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• anti-inflammatory
• sedative activity
• Peperomia galioides
• mice models

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by “Dirección de Investigación de la Universidad de Cuenca” and the VLIR-UOS project “Pharmacological Characterization of Medicinal Plants from the South of Ecuador”. E. Vila was supported by Proyecto Prometeo, SENESCYT, Ecuador.