Ethnopharmacological relevance: In traditional medicine, teas made from leaves and bark of Gallesia gorazema are used as antispasmodic, anthelmintic, antihemorrhagic and febrifuge agents. Crude leaves of this plant are also employed as a remedy in the treatment of abscesses, orchitis, gonorrhea and for rheumatic pain relief. this study investigates the presumed antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of leaves and roots Gallesia gorazema (Phytolaccaceae) extracts. The most active extract and its isolated compound, a new natural product, are also evaluated against viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Materials and methods: In vivo experiments with mice were used to assess the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Gallesia gorazema extracts. Antiviral activity of extracts and the new natural product was investigated by in vitro experiments.
Results: Results show that dichloromethanic root (DRE) and ethanolic leaf (ELE) extracts displayed significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in in vivo experiments with mice. Both extracts were also assayed against the herpes simplex viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2, but only DRE was highly active, showing a selective antiviral effect against HSV-1. Phytochemical fractionation of DRE led to the isolation of 28-hydroxyoctacosyl ferulate, a novel natural product, which displayed strong antiviral activity against HSV-1 (EC₅₀=21.6 μg/mL) with a selective index above 9, justifying, at least in part, the high selective antiviral activity observed for DRE.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the plant Gallesia gorazema is a potential candidate for the development of novel anti-herpetic phytomedicines.
Keywords: 28-Hydroxyoctacosyl ferulate; Anti-herpetic phytomedicines; Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities; Antiviral activity; Gallesia gorazema; Herpes.
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