Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of
the aqueous extract of leaves of Persea
americana Mill (Lauraceae)
O.O. ADEYEMI, S.O. OKPO, O.O. OGUNTI
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIERSITY OF LAGOS, P.M.B. 12003, LAGOS,
NIGERIA RECEIVED 4 JUNE 2001; ACCEPTED IN REVISED FORM 14 MAY 2002
Abstract
The aqueous extract of Persea americana leaves produced a dose-dependent inhibition of both phases of formalin pain test in mice, a reduction in mouse writhing induced by acetic acid and an elevation of pain threshold in the hot plate test in mice. The extract also produced a dose-dependent inhibition of carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema. The results obtained indicate that the extract possesses analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Persea americana; Anti-inflammatory; Analgesic effects.
Analgesic-and-anti-inflammatory-effects-of-the-aqueous-extract-of-leaves-of-Persea-americana.pdf
Anticonvulsant Effect of Persea americana Mill
(Lauraceae) (Avocado) Leaf Aqueous Extract
in Mice
JOHN A. O. OJEWOLE AND GEORGE J. AMABEOKU2
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-
Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of The Western Cape, Private Bag
X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa
Abstract
Various morphological parts of Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) (avocado) are widely used in African traditional medicines for the treatment, management and/or control of a variety of human ailments, including childhood convulsions and epilepsy. This study examined the anticonvulsant effect of the plant’s leaf aqueous extract (PAE, 50–800 mg/kg i.p.) against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-, picrotoxin (PCT)- and bicuculline (BCL)- induced seizures in mice. Phenobarbitone and diazepam were used as reference anticonvulsant drugs for comparison. Like the reference anticonvulsant agents used, Persea americana leaf aqueous extract (PAE, 100–800 mg/kg i.p.) significantly (p < 0.05–0.001) delayed the onset of, and antagonized, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures. The plant’s leaf extract (PAE, 100–800 mg/kg i.p.) also profoundly antagonized picrotoxin (PCT)-induced seizures, but only weakly antagonized bicuculline (BCL)-induced seizures. Although the data obtained in the present study do not provide conclusive evidence, it would appear that ‘avocado’ leaf aqueous extract (PAE) produces its anticonvulsant effect by enhancing GABAergic neurotransmission and/or action in the brain. The findings of this study indicate that Persea americana leaf aqueous extract possesses an anticonvulsant property, and thus lends pharmacological credence to the suggested ethnomedical uses of the plant in the management of childhood convulsions and epilepsy. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Keywords: Persea americana leaf; aqueous extract; anticonvulsant activity.
Diagnostico nutrimental del aguacate ‘Hass’ bajo condiciones de temporal
S. Salazar-García1; I. Lazcano-Ferrat2
1INIFAP-Campo Experimental Santiago Ixcuintla, Apdo. Postal 100, Santiago Ixcuintla,
NAY 63300, México. Tel./Fax: (323)5-0710, E-mail: ssalazar@tepic.edi.com.mx
2Instituto de la Potasa y el Fósforo, A.C., Ignacio Pérez 28 Sur Desp. 216, Querétaro,
QRO. 76000, México.
Resumen
En las zonas productoras de aguacate ‘Hass’ del estado de Nayarit se carece de información acerca de la condición nutrimental de este frutal por lo que el obtener esta información, mediante la técnica del análisis foliar y utilizarla para determinar las necesidades de fertilización fue el objetivo de este estudio. Durante 1998 se realizaron muestreos foliares en 38 huertos, la mayoría bajo condiciones de temporal y diferentes condiciones de manejo del cultivo. La condición más frecuente fueron los niveles “abajo de lo normal” de potasio (K) y azufre (S). El nitrógeno (N) se ubicó cerca del límite inferior de lo “normal” para la mayoría de los huertos. En la mayor parte de los huertos el fósforo (P), calcio (Ca), hierro (Fe), manganeso (Mn) y cinc (Zn) fueron ubicados como “normales”. El boro (B) resultó “abajo de lo normal” en la mayoría de los huertos.
El cobre (Cu) se encontró en niveles excesivos en aquellos huertos que fueron asperjados con fungicidas con cobre. El sodio (Na) se encontró en niveles aceptables para el aguacate. En algunos huertos la presencia de plantas de café intercalados con el aguacate disminuyó los niveles de K, aunque en otros se incrementaron los niveles de N, P, K, S y B. La condición nutrimental de los huertos con riego de auxilio fue similar a las de los huertos cultivados bajo condiciones de temporal. Los suelos en los que se cultiva el aguacate ‘Hass’ en los Municipios de Tepic y Xalisco son adecuados para este frutal, aunque se deben de corregir ciertos desbalances nutrimentales.
Palabras clave: Persea americana, nutrición mineral, suelos volcánicos, análisis foliar.
Some aspects of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) diversity
and domestication in Mesoamerica
María Elena Galindo-Tovar Æ Nisao Ogata-Aguilar Æ
Amaury M. Arzate-Fernández
Received: 8 December 2006 / Accepted: 7 May 2007 / Published online: 30 June 2007
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007
Abstract
Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a major tropical fruit, with origin in Mesoamerica area. Avocado is a very variable species and taxonomically poorly understood. It has been grown in the Neotropics since ancient times and it seems that the domestication of this tree in Mesoamerica started before other annual crops. In addition, it seems that much of avocado diversity as ecological differences, were originated as a result of cultural diversity. In view of this, avocado represents an interesting model to study domestication of tropical trees and develop forest management and germplasm conservation strategies. At present time, P. americana is worldwide distributed with Mexico as the main producer.
However, there are some aspects on the origin, dispersion, and domestication of the species that remain to be answered. In this paper, we present a survey of these issues from the earliest to present time in Mesoamerica.
Keywords: Dispersion History Genetic variability Origin Persea Americana.
Vasorelaxant action of aqueous extract of the leaves
of Persea americana on isolated thoracic rat aorta
Mbang A. Owolabia,*, Smith I. Jajab, Herbert A.B. Cokera
aDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
bDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Lagos, Nigeria
Received 23 June 2004; accepted in revised form 27 April 2005
Available online 28 June 2005
Abstract
The present study investigated the vasorelaxant action of the aqueous leaves extract of Persea americana on isolated rat aorta. The results showed that the extract produced significant vasorelaxation and that the effect is dependent on the synthesis or release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRFs) as well as the release of prostanoid. The extract also reduced vasoconstriction probably by inhibiting Ca2+ influx through calcium channels. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Persea americana; Vascular relaxation; Rat aorta; Nitric oxide.