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NEUROPHARMACOLOGY

Antinociceptive Properties of Mixture of -Amyrin and -Amyrin Triterpenes: Evidence for Participation of Protein Kinase C and Protein Kinase A Pathways

Departamento de Farmacologia (M.F.O., J.F., J.B.C.), Ciências Fisiológicas (A.R.S.S.), e Química (R.A.Y.), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil; Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, NIQFAR (C.M.-S., A.M., L.A.M., G.S.C.), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil; and Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (F.V.L.), Curso de Farmácia, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil

The mixture of the two pentacyclic triterpenes -amyrin and -amyrin, isolated from the resin of Protium kleinii and given by intraperitoneal (i.p.) or oral (p.o.) routes, caused dose-related and significant antinociception against the visceral pain in mice produced by i.p. injection of acetic acid. Moreover, i.p., p.o., intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.), or intrathecal (i.t.) administration of ,-amyrin inhibited both neurogenic and inflammatory phases of the overt nociception caused by intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of formalin. Likewise, ,-amyrin given by i.p., p.o., i.t., or i.c.v. routes inhibits the neurogenic nociception induced by capsaicin. Moreover, i.p. treatment with ,-amyrin was able to reduce the nociception produced by 8-bromo-cAMP (8-Br-cAMP) and by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or the hyperalgesia caused by glutamate. On the other hand, in contrast to morphine, ,-amyrin failed to cause analgesia in thermal models of pain. The antinociception caused by the mixture of compounds seems to involve mechanisms independent of opioid, -adrenergic, serotoninergic, and nitrergic system mediation, since it was not affected by naloxone, prazosin, yohimbine, DL-p-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester, or L-arginine. Interestingly, the i.p. administration of ,-amyrin reduced the mechanical hyperalgesia produced by i.pl. injection of carrageenan, capsaicin, bradykinin, substance P, prostaglandin E₂, 8-Br-cAMP, and TPA in rats. However, the mixture of compounds failed to alter the binding sites of [³H]bradykinin, [³H]resiniferatoxin, or [³H]glutamate in vitro. It is concluded that the mixture of triterpene -amyrin and -amyrin produced consistent peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal antinociception in rodents, especially when assessed in inflammatory models of pain. The mechanisms involved in their action are not completely understood but seem to involve the inhibition of protein kinase A- and protein kinase C-sensitive pathways.

Address correspondence to: Dr. João B. Calixto, Department of Pharmacology, Centre of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario-Trindade, Bloco D-CCB, Cx. Postal: 476, CEP 88049-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. E-mail: calixto{at}farmaco.ufsc.br or calixto3{at}terra.com.br