In vivo anti-inflammatory properties of aerial parts of Nasturtium officinale. (February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sadeghi, Heibatollah; Mostafazadeh, Mostafa; Sadeghi, Hossein; Naderian, Moslem; Barmak, Mehrzad Jafari; Talebianpoor, Mohammad Sharif; Mehraban, Fouad
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 52:Number 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 169
• Page End: 174
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2013.821138
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context</italic>: <italic>Nasturtium officinale</italic> R. Br. (watercress) has long been used in Iranian folk medicine to treat hypertension, hyperglycemia, and renal colic. Moreover, anticancer, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties of <italic>N. officinale</italic> have been reported.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: In this study, anti-inflammatory activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract from aerial parts of <italic>N. officinale</italic> was investigated.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: Oral administration of the hydro-alcoholic extract of <italic>N. officinale</italic> (250, 500 and 750 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>) was investigated on two well-characterized animal models of inflammation, including carrageenan- or formalin-induced paw edema in rats. Then, the topical anti-inflammatory effect of <italic>N. officinale</italic> (2 and 5 mg/ear) was studied on 12-<italic>O</italic>-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema. Finally, biopsy of the paw or ear was performed for pathological evaluation.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: Acute toxicity tests of <italic>N. officinale</italic> in rats established an oral LD<sub>50</sub> of >5 g kg<sup>−1</sup>. The extract of watercress (250, 500 and 750 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>) significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after carrageenan challenge (<italic>p</italic> < 0.001). The extract (500 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>) also showed considerable activity against formalin-evoked paw edema over a period of 24 h (<italic>p</italic> < 0.001). Furthermore, topical application of <italic>N. officinale</italic> (5 mg/ear) reduced TPA-induced ear edema (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05). Histopathologically, the extract decreased swelling and the tissue damage induced by carrageenan or TPA.</p> <p> <italic>Discussion and conclusion</italic>: Our findings indicate potent anti-inflammatory activity of <italic>N. officinale</italic> in systemic and topical application and propose its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent for treatment of inflammatory conditions.</p> </abstract>