Chemical composition, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the butanolic fraction of Annona nutans (Annonaceae) leaves

Abstract

The species Annona nutans (R. E. Fries) is a plant found in Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and the Brazilian cerrado. Considering the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of the hydrometanolic fraction (FHMeOH) of A. nutans leaves previously reported, the present study aimed to evaluate in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of a subfraction obtained from FHMeOH, the butanolic fraction (FBuOH_f). Intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment with FBuOH_f (50 and 100 mg · kg⁻¹) inhibited paw edema induced by carrageenan. Moreover, FBuOH_f (100 mg · kg⁻¹, i.p.) also suppressed polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte migration in the footpad. Regarding the antinociceptive activity, FBuOH_f (50, 100, and 200 mg · kg⁻¹, i.p.) inhibited acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing. In the formalin test, this fraction (200 mg · kg⁻¹, i.p.) reduced licking time only in the inflammatory phase. The FBuOH_f contents flavonoids and cinnamic acid derivatives, such as quercetin-3-O-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-β-D-apio-furanosyl-(1→2)-galactopyranoside and chlorogenic acid, identified and quantified by LC-MS. The FBuOH_f possesses anti-inflammatory and peripheral antinociceptive activities.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Inflammation
• nociception
• HPLC quantification
• flavonoid

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) under the number 2833-2011. NLS is grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) and AAS to the Federal University of São João del Rei for a postgraduate fellowship.