Pharmacological effects of the hexane and dichloromethane fractions from Annona coriacea Mart. (Annonaceae) leaves

Abstract

Annona coriacea Mart. (Annonaceae) is used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of various medical conditions such as stomatitis, neuralgia, headaches, furuncles and ulcers. In the current investigation, we evaluated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the hexane and dichloromethane fractions from A. coriacea employing various standard experimental models. The antinociceptive activity of A. coriacea was studied by acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin and hot-plate tests, and the anti-inflammatory activity of this plant was determined by carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. Inhibitions of the acetic acid-induced abdominal contortions were observed at the doses 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg. These doses also reduced the nociception produced by formalin in the first and second phases. In the hot-plate assay, the reaction time was increased at 30, 60 and 90 min in animals that received 50 or 100 mg/kg. Doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. These results demonstrate that A. coriacea has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects, supporting the use of this plant in folk medicine.