¿Poseen algunas algas de las costas cubanas propiedades antiinflamatorias analgésicas y antioxidantes?

Abstract

Marine organisms represent a new source for the discovery of anti-inflammatory agents (Grace et al., 1994), mainly obtained starting from sponges, coelenterates and algae. A representative compound from algae, due to its great number of properties, is the epitaondiol that inhibits the phospholipase A2 and the formation and/or release of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Taking into account these antecedents, we decided to evaluate extracts from four Rhodophyte algae species of the genera Laurencia, Acantophora and Gracilaria in the models of mouse ear oedema induced by croton oil, writhing induced by acetic acid in mouse, and the assay of the tiobarbituric acid (TBA). The objective was to detect antiinflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of the extracts. The extract from the algae of the genus Acantophora inhibits the mouse ear oedema induced by croton oil in 58%, and the extracts from the genera Laurencia and Gracilaria inhibit the writhing induced by acetic acid with values higher than 50%. None of the studied extracts had any effect in the assay of the TBA. Therefore, it can be concluded that the studied algae extracts seem to have antiinflammatory and analgesic properties, probably inhibiting the formation and/or release of prostaglandins.