Anti-inflammatory activity of four Bolivian Baccharis species (Compositae).

Hexanic, dichloromethanic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts from Baccharis obtusifolia HBK, Baccharis latifolia (R. et P.) Pers., Baccharis pentlandii D.C. and Baccharis subulata Wedd., plants used in the traditional medicine of South America have been studied for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in cellular systems. Calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages were validated as a source of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) (prostaglandin E2, PGE2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) (leukotriene C4, LTC4), and mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used for testing cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) (PGE2), nitric oxide (NO) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) activity. Most of the extracts tested were active in all assays.