ANTIINFLAMMATORY AND ANTIPYRETIC EFFECTS OF BOLDINE

Boldine, an antioxidant alkaloid isolated from Peumus boldus, exhibits a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity in the carrageenan-induce d guinea pig paw edema test with an oral ED(50) of 34 mg/kg. Boldine a lso reduces bacterial pyrogen-induced hyperthermia in rabbits to an ex tent which varied between 51% and 98% at a dose of 60 mg/kg p.o. In vi tro studies carried out in rat aortal rings revealed that boldine is a n effective inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis, promoting 53% inh ibition at 75 mu M. The latter in vitro effect may be mechanistically linked to the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of boldine exe rted in vivo.