Anti-inflammatory activity of cubebin, a lignan from the leaves of Zanthoxyllum naranjillo Griseb

Cubebin, a dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan isolated from the crude hexane extr act of the leaves of Zanthoxyllum naranjillo, showed a significant anti-inf lammatory activity by using the paw edema induced by carrageenin in rats, b ut did not provide a significant reduction in the cell migration for the ac ute carrageenin-induced inflammatory reaction in the peritoneal cavity of r ats. Neither was it effective in reducing the edema induced by dextran nor the edema induced by histamine. It partially reduced the edema induced by s erotonin. Moreover, it significantly reduced the edema induced by prostagla ndin PGE(2) and the number of writhings induced by both acetic acid and PCI 2 in mice. Therefore, it may be suggested that the mechanism of action of c ubebin is similar to that observed for most of the non-steroidal drugs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.