Vicenin-2, Urtica circularis’ main component antiinflammatory activity

MARRASSINI, CARLA; ACEVEDO, CRISTINA; ANESINI, CLAUDIA; GORZALCZANY, SUSANA; FERRARO, GRACIELA

Nuremberg

Congreso; The 15th International Congress Pthytopharm 2011; 2011

In the present study the antiinflammatory activity of Urtica circularis´ ethanolic extract was evaluated with the purpose of identifying active compounds which could be helpful in the treatment of those pathologies associated with the inflammatory process. Urtica circularis (Hicken) Soraru (Urticaceae) is an Argentinean native herb, also distributed in Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil,1,2,3 popularly used as an antirrheumatic and anti-inflammatory agent.4 U. circularis’ ethanolic extract anti-inflammatory activity was assayed in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats and showed significant edema inhibition starting 3 h after carrageenan administration (300 mg/kg, 41.5% inhibition), maintaining the response until the 5th hour; meanwhile, indomethacine (10 mg/kg) caused a maximum inhibition of 38.4% at 5 h. The extract’s chemical composition was analyzed by HPLC5 and its main component was isolated and identified by spectroscopy (UV-VIS, MS and 1H-NMR) as vicenin-2 (6,8-diglucosyl apigenin) which represented 0.08% of dry plant material. Vicenin-2 exhibited significative antiinflammatory activity in vitro, modulating the concentration of the cell mediators NO and TNF-α and on NF-κB translocation in a model of murine macrophages activated with LPS. In conclusion, these results reveal U. circularis’ extract antiinflammatory activity that justifies its popular use. Vicenin-2, its main component, is responsible of this action and, with further studies, could be a new useful drug for the treatment of pathologies with an inflammatory component. 1 Burkart, A. Flora Ilustrada de Entre Rios, 3rd edn. Sudamericana: Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1987; pp 36-37. 2 Rondina, R. V. D.; Bandoni, A. L.; Coussio, J. D. Plantas Silvestres Argentinas con Reconocidas Propiedades Medicinales o Toxicas. 2a Edicion. Buenos Aires: el autor. 1 CD-ROM. ISBN 987-43-6073-9. CYTED (Ciencia y Tecnologia para el Desarrollo). 2003 3 Del Vitto, L. A.; Petenatti, E. M.; Petenatti, M. E. Recursos herbolarios de San Luis (Republica Argentina), primera parte: plantas nativas. Multequina, 1997; 6, 49-66. 4 Martinez Crovetto, R. Plantas Utilizadas en Medicina en el Noroeste de Corrientes, Miscelanea (Fundacion Miguel Lillo): Tucuman, Argentina, 1981; p 37. 5 Filip, R.; Lopez, P.; Giberti, G., Coussio, J.; Ferraro, G. Fitoterapia 2001, 72, 774–778.