Abstract:
Objective: To evaluate antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and vasorelaxant
activities of Populus nigra flower buds ethanolic extract.
Methods: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the extract were assessed using
respectively the ABTS test and the animal model of carrageenan-induced paw edema. Protection
from hepatic toxicity caused by aluminum was examined by histopathologic analysis of liver
sections. Vasorelaxant effect was estimated in endothelium-intact and -rubbed rings of porcine
coronary arteries precontracted with high concentration of U46619.
Results: The results showed a moderate antioxidant activity (40%), but potent anti-inflammatory
activity (49.9%) on carrageenan-induced mice paw edema, and also as revealed by histopathologic
examination, complete protection against AlCl3-induced hepatic toxicity. Relaxant effects of the
same extract on vascular preparation from porcine aorta precontracted with high concentration of
U46619 were considerable at 10
-1
g/L, and comparable (P>0.05) between endothelium-intact (67.74%,
IC50=0.04 mg/mL) and -rubbed (72.72%, IC50=0.075 mg/mL) aortic rings.
Conclusions: The extract exerted significant anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and
vasorelaxant activities, the latter being endothelium-independent believed to be mediated mainly
by the of components present in the extract to exert antioxidant properties, probably related to
an inhibition of Ca2+ influx.
