morin and Edema

Flavonoids are potent anti-inflammatory compounds isolated from several plant extracts, and have been used experimentally against inflammatory processes. In this work, a PLA2 isolated from the Crotalus durissus cascavella venom and rat paw oedema were used as a model to study the effect of flavonoids on PLA2. We observed that a treatment of PLA2 with morin induces several modifications in the aromatic amino acids, with accompanying changes in its amino acid composition. In addition, results from circular dichroism spectroscopy and UV scanning revealed important structural modifications. Concomitantly, a considerable decrease in the enzymatic and antibacterial activities was observed, even though anti-inflammatory and neurotoxic activities were not affected. These apparent controversial results may be an indication that PLA2 possess a second pharmacological site which does not affect or depend on the enzymatic activity.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Amino Acid Substitution; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chickens; Circular Dichroism; Crotalus; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Edema; Flavonoids; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Male; Phospholipases A; Phospholipases A2; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Snake Venoms; Xanthomonas

The anti-inflammatory activities of flavonols (quercetin, rutin and morin) and flavanones (hesperetin and hesperidin) were investigated in animal models of acute and chronic inflammation. Rutin was only effective in the chronic process, principally in adjuvant arthritis. On neurogenic inflammation induced by xylene, only the flavanones were effective; besides, these compounds were the most effective on subchronic process. The most important compound in reducing paw oedema induced by carrageenan was quercetin.

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Experimental; Carrageenan; Disease Models, Animal; Ear; Edema; Flavonoids; Hesperidin; Hindlimb; Inflammation; Mice; Molecular Structure; Quercetin; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rutin; Xylenes