ISOLATION OF BIFLAVONOIDS WITH ANALGESIC ACTIVITY FROM RHEEDIA-GARDNERIANA LEAVES

Some phytoconstituents present in the R. Gardneriana Pl. Tr. leaves, a Brazilian medicinal plant, were isolated by column chromatography. Th eir preliminary analgesic effects were evaluated against formalin-indu ced pain in mice. The results demonstrated that four biflavonoids, ide ntified as volkensiflavone, GB-2 a, fukugetin and fukugeside are the m ain active components of the ethyl acetate fraction. Such compounds ex hibited significative analgesic activity in relation to the second pha se (inflammatory pain) of the formalin test, suggesting that they are the compounds responsible for the pharmacological effects previously o bserved for the hydroalcoholic extract of this plant.