Abstract Herba Cistanche (Cistanche species) in Traditional Chinese Medicine is used for the treatment of several diseases and symptoms, to include pain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of the hydroethanol extract of Cistanche salsa (C.A.Mey.) Beck, Orobanchaceae, stolons in animal models of pain. Chemical composition of Herba Cistanche was analyzed by HPLC-UV. Mice Swiss Webster (25–30 g, n = 6) were orally pre-treated with Herba Cistanche (10, 30 or 100 mg/kg) and evaluated in the formalin test and in the capsaicin- or glutamate-induced licking response. Kazakh Herba Cistanche is composed mainly by phenylpropanoid glycosides, from which echinacoside, acteoside and tubuloside B are the main constituents. When Herba Cistanche was administered to mice it had an effect in both phases of the formalin test (77% activity at 30 mg/kg for phase 1 and 62% activity at 100 mg/kg for phase 2) suggesting analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Kazakh Herba Cistanche was able to reduce the animals licking time after injection of glutamate (81% reduction at 30 mg/kg) and capsaicin (81% reduction at 100 mg/kg). We conclude that phenolics present in the hydroethanol extract of C. salsa could be responsible for its pharmacological profile. In order to source a good quality raw material for Traditional Chinese Medicine we recommended this Kazakh species to be standardized using echinacoside and acteoside as markers.

Abstract Choisya ternata Kunth, C. ternata var. sundance Kunth and the hybrid Choisya ‘Aztec-Pearl’ are three related species belonging to the Rutaceae family. Ethanol extracts were prepared from the leaves of these three species and evaluated in relation to their antioxidant activity using in vitro and ex vivo models. The ethanol extracts belonging to the three species produced a very high antioxidant profile as evidenced by the DPPH radical scavenging activity, the determination of total phenolics and flavonoid equivalent. The generation of reactive species of oxygen in leukocytes stimulated with LPS was dramatically reduced when the three ethanol extracts were used. The alkaloids anhydroevoxine and choisyine were isolated from the ethanol extract of C. ternata using HEMWat (4:6:5:5) as the solvent system by means of high-speed countercurrent chromatography. This was the first time quinoline alkaloids were isolated from this species using HSCCC. These compounds were also assayed for their capacity to inhibit the generation of ROS in leukocytes stimulated by LPS and the results also suggested that they are reactive oxygenase inhibitors.

Through dereplication strategies using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultra fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS), the ethanol extract from Psycotria nemorosa leaves (Rubiaceae) showed to be composed of: cinnamic acid, dihydroactinidiolide, 4-hydroxy-β-ionone, phytol, isophytol, 4,8,12,16-tetramethylheptadecan-4-olide, lupeol, a mixture of α/β-amyrin, the keto and acetylated derivatives, besides stigmast-4-en-3-one, campesterol, stigmasterol and γ-sitosterol by GC-MS. Likewise, by UFLC-MS/MS, the main compounds identified were: butin, resveratrol, rutin, kaempferol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, deacetylasperuloside, epiloganin, hordenine, strictosidine, N-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline and N-formyl-tryptamine. The antinociceptive activity of the crude extract ant its fractions was reported.

Uma nova família de barbituratos, ácidos 5-cloro-5-benzilbarbitúricos, foi preparada usando um método simples e eficiente a partir de aldeídos aromáticos e ácido barbitúrico, seguido de redução e cloração usando ácido tricloroisocianúrico, com rendimento global de 53 a 70%. Por avaliação in vivo com camundongos, os produtos apresentaram atividade tranqüilizante.

A new family of barbiturates, 5-chloro-5-benzylbarbituric acids, was prepared using a simple efficient synthetic method from aromatic aldehydes and barbituric acid, followed by reduction and chlorination with trichloro-isocyanuric acid, affording overall yields of 53 to 70%. The in vivo evaluation with mice showed that these compounds present tranquilizing activity.

Extratos de flores (ETFA) e espigas (ETEA) de Açaí (Euterpe oleraceae Mart.) foram avaliados quanto a sua atividade antinociceptiva. ETFA mostrou significativa atividade periférica, reduzindo em até 50% o número total de contorções abdominais. Já ETEA mostrou reduzido efeito no modelo de contorções abdominais, mas seu efeito espinhal pode ser observado com as doses maiores. Nenhum dos extratos foi capaz de alterar os índices de analgesia na placa quente.