Anti-inflammatory activity of Agave intermixta Trel. and Cissus sicyoides L., species used in the Caribbean traditional medicine

Agave intermixta Trel. and Cissus sicyoides L. are two tropical plants orig inating from the Dominican Republic. Aqueous extracts from these species ar e used in traditional medicine. In contrast, biological activity and toxici ty of these plants ate not yet evaluated systematically. The aim of the pre sent work is to investigate a potential anti-inflammatory activity, and to elucidate the toxicity of the extracts. No lethal effects were produced aft er oral administration of the extracts. The values of the medium lethal dos es after intraperitoneal administration were quite high for both species, a lthough A. intermixta seems to be rather more toxic than C. sicyoides. The anti-inflammatory effects have been investigated in two experimental in viv o models. The carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema was chosen as a model for general inflammation, and the mice ear oedema test using tetradecanoylphorb ol acetate as inflammatory agent as a model of topical inflammation. Dry ex tracts From decoctions of A. intermixta leaves and C. sicyoides stems were administered in doses of 300 and 500 mg/kg (p.o.) in the general model, and in doses of 3 and 5 mg/mouse ear for both plants in the topical model. In the general anti-inflammation assay, the oral administration of both extrac ts produced a significant anti-inflammatory effect, most pronounced for A. intermixta than for C. sicyoides. In the topical model, the administration of both extracts produced similar inhibitions of the oedema, with a reducti on of approximately 50% in comparison with the control group. In homogenate d tissue samples from the inflamed areas, a distinct decrease in the level of myeloperoxidase enzyme was noted. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.