Molecules, Vol. 24, Pages 2042: Usnic Acid Potassium Salt: Evaluation of the Acute Toxicity and Antinociceptive Effect in Murine Model

Molecules, Vol. 24, Pages 2042: Usnic Acid Potassium Salt: Evaluation of the Acute Toxicity and Antinociceptive Effect in Murine Model Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules24112042 Authors: Araújo Silva Júnior Saturnino Oliveira Helena M. L. Ribeiro C. Barroso Martins Cavalcanti Bezerra Lima Aires C. P. Azevedo Albuquerque Melo-Júnior Pontes Filho Pereira Raposo Silva dos Anjos Falcão Silva Menezes Lima To obtain usnic acid potassium salt (PS-UA), the usnic acid (UA) was extracted and purified from the lichen Cladonia substellata, and modified to produce PS-UA. The structure was determined by 1H-NMR, IR and elemental analysis, ratified through computational models, as well as identification the site of K+ insertion in the molecule. Antinociceptive activity was detected through contortions in mice induced by acetic acid and formalin (phases I and II) after treatments with 10 and 20 mg/kg of PS-UA, indicating interference in both non-inflammatory and inflammatory pain. After oral administration at doses of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, no deaths of mice with treatments below 2000 mg/kg were observed. Except for body weight gain, food and water consumption decreased with treatments of 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, and the number of segmented leukocytes was higher for both treatments. Regarding serum levels, cholesterol and triglycerides decreased, however, there was an increase in hepatic transaminases with both treatments. Liver and kidne...
Source: Molecules - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research