ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECT OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF Galactia glaucescens (Fabaceae)

DOMINGUES K.C.B. (1), FERRARI E.F., (1), CARREIRO DA COSTA R.S. (1), COGO J.C. (1), ZAMUNER S.R, (1), PRIANTI JR. A.C.G. (1)

(1) Laboratório de Fisiologia e Farmacodinâmica (IP&D) UNIVAP, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil.

A large number of plants are claimed by popular belief to antagonize some effects produced by inflammation reaction. In this work, we evaluated the capacity of the aqueous extract of vegetal species Galactia glaucescens (Fabaceae) to reduce the inflammatory reaction caused by carrageenan. The induction of inflammatory reaction in the peritoneal cavity was induced by carrageenan (500 µg/rat) and the inflammatory exudate was withdrawn after washing the peritoneal cavity to determine total cells counts in neubauer chamber and the differential leukocyte counts were performed on stained Instant Prove cell smears. A group of animals (n=3) was treated with G. glaucescens extract (12 µg/Kg) in the peritoneal cavity 30 minutes before the carrageenan injection. Results showed that aqueous extract of G. glaucescens did not reduced significantly the leukocyte influx in the treated animals when compared to the control group. Based on these results, we concluded that the extract of Galactia glaucescens was not able to neutralize the leukocyte influx induced by inflammatory reaction caused by carrageenan.

KEY WORDS: Galactia glaucescens, plant extract, inflammation, leukocyte influx.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: Fundação Valeparaibana de Ensino

CORRESPONDENCE TO: ANTONIO C.G. PRIANTI JR., IP&D, UNIVAP, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil., Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, Urbanova, 12244-000, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. Phone: + 55 (12) 3947-1106. Email: prianti@univap.br.