Analgesic and antiinflammatory effects of chalcones isolated from Myracrodruon urundeuva allemão.

The present work showed analgesic and antiinflammatory activities from a fraction containing three dimeric chalcones (chalcone enriched fraction - CEF), isolated from the stem-bark ethyl acetate extract of Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemao (Anacardiaceae). M. urundeuva is a popular medicinal plant used widely in Northeast Brazil, mainly as a topical female genital tract antiinflammatory. We observed that the CEF (5 and 10 mg/kg body wt., i.p. or p.o.) inhibited acetic acid-induced abdominal contractions in mice. In the formalin test, the CEF (5 and 10 mg/kg body wt.) was more effective intraperitoneally and inhibited predominantly the second phase of response. Naloxone reversed this effect, indicating an involvement of the opioid system. The CEF (10 and 20 mg/kg body wt.) also increased the reaction time to thermal stimuli in the hot-plate test in mice, after i.p. but not after p.o. administration. In the carrageenan-induced paw edema test in mice, the CEF (20 and 40 mg/kg body wt.) decreased paw volume significantly, after i.p. administration 2-4 hours after carrageenan injection. The CEF (40 mg/kg body wt.) was also active orally during the same period of time. The present work is the first report on peripheral and central analgesic effects and antiinflammatory activity of natural dimeric chalcones.