Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of Smilax china L. aqueous extract

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2006-02, Vol.103 (3), p.327-332
• Main Authors: Shu, Xiao-Shun, Gao, Zhong-Hong, Yang, Xiang-Liang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic Acid; Albumins; Analgesic; analgesic effect; Analgesics - pharmacology; Animals; Anti-inflammatory activity; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Aqueous extract; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; chemical constituents of plants; COX-2; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors - pharmacology; Dinoprostone - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Edema - chemically induced; Edema - prevention & control; ethnobotany; Female; General pharmacology; Jin Gang Ten; Macrophages, Peritoneal - drug effects; Macrophages, Peritoneal - metabolism; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Mice; Pain - chemically induced; Pain - prevention & control; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; plant extracts; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Smilax; Smilax china; Smilax china L; Time Factors; traditional medicine; tubers
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.08.004

The aqueous extract of the tuber of Smilax china L., popularly known in China as “Jin Gang Ten”, was tested for its anti-inflammatory activities in rats by egg-albumin-induced edema and anti-nociceptive effects in mice using hot-plate test and acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction test, respectively. The aqueous extract in the dose of 1000 mg/kg (i.g.) had a significant anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect compared to physiological saline. The anti-inflammatory effects are similar to acetylsalicylic acid (200 mg/kg, i.g.). We also evaluated the aqueous extract for the inhibition of prostaglandin production (for COX-2 inhibitions) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse macrophage cells. The result showed that both COX-2 activity and COX expression were inhibited by the extract. These active extracts suppressing activities warranted further studies of active principles and development of new anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. Studies to determine correlation between chemical composition and pharmacological activity are underway.