Antinociceptive and antiedematogenic effects of the aqueous extract of Hyptis pectinata leaves in experimental animals

The aqueous leaf extract of Hyptis pectinata (L.) Poit (Lamiaceae), popularly known in Brazil as "sambaicata" or "canudinho" was tested for its antinociceptive effects using the abdominal writhing, hot plate and formalin lest models, and for its aniedematogenic effects using the carrageenin and arachidonic acid-induced rat paw edema. The aqueous extract of Hyptis pectinata administered orally at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg had a significant antinociceptive effect in the test of acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, with 43, 51 and 54% reduction of writhes, respectively, compared to the control. An increase in hot-plate latency of 47 and 37.5% was also observed in animals receiving doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o. when placed on a hot plate. In the formalin test, doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o. had no significant effect during the first phase of the test (0-5 min), while the dose of 200 mg/kg, p.o. reduced the nociceptive effect by 70% during the second phase (20-25 min). At the dose of 600 mg/kg, p.o., the aqueous extract inhibited carrageenin-induced rat paw edema by 34.1%, and the dose of 300 mg/kg administered intraperitoneally inhibited the rat paw edema induced by subplantar injection of arachidonic acid by 32.8%. These results suggest that the aqueous extract from the Hyptis pectinata leaves produces antiedematogenic and antinociceptive effects. The antinocipetion observed with the hot-plate test probably involves the participation of the opioid system. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.