ACUTE AND CHRONIC ANTIINFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF PLANT FLAVONOIDS

The antiinflammatory activities of 30 flavonoids isolated from several plants of the Compositae family were investigated using carrageenan-i nduced mouse paw edema and cotton pellet-induced rat granuloma. Compou nds were administered with a unique dose of 75 mg/kg i.p. in the acute test with carrageenan and 25 mg/kg/day in the chronic granuloma test. Flavonoids inhibit the development of the induced granuloma, mostly w hen a catechol or guaiacol-like B ring is contained in the compound st ructure, jaceosidin being the most active flavonoid screened. Flavonoi ds significantly inhibited the maximum edema response in the acute tes t. We conclude that several of the isolated flavonoids tested here sho wed antiinflammatory effects, depending on the experimental model used . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.