Abstract: | This paper reports on the in vitro antibacterial and in
vivo anti-inflammatory properties of a hydroethanolic extract of the
aerial parts of Gochnatia pulchra (HEGP). It also describes the
antibacterial activity of HEGP fractions and of the isolated compounds genkwanin,
scutellarin, apigenin, and 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, as evaluated by a broth
microdilution method. While HEGP and its fractions did not provide promising results,
the isolated compounds exhibited pronounced antibacterial activity. The most
sensitive microorganism was Streptococcus pyogenes, with minimum
inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 100, 50 and 25 µg/mL for genkwanin and the
flavonoids apigenin and scutellarin, respectively. Genkwanin produced an MIC value of
25 µg/mL against Enterococcus faecalis. A paw edema model in rats
and a pleurisy inflammation model in mice aided investigation of the
anti-inflammatory effects of HEGP. This study also evaluated the ability of HEGP to
modulate carrageenan-induced interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha
(TNF-α), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production. Orally
administered HEGP (250 and 500 mg/kg) inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema.
Regarding carrageenan-induced pleurisy, HEGP at 50, 100, and 250 mg/kg diminished
leukocyte migration by 71.43%, 69.24%, and 73.34% (P<0.05), respectively. HEGP
suppressed IL-1β and MCP-1 production by 55% and 50% at 50 mg/kg (P<0.05) and 60%
and 25% at 100 mg/kg (P<0.05), respectively. HEGP abated TNF-α
production by macrophages by 6.6%, 33.3%, and 53.3% at 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg
(P<0.05), respectively. HEGP probably exerts anti-inflammatory effects by
inhibiting production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and MCP-1. |