Phytochemical study and anti-inflammatory effect of Psychotria stenocalyx (Rubiaceae) -

In this study, an in vivo anti-inflammatory assay was conducted on Psychotria stenocalyx ethanol extract of leaves, evaluating this effect on cell migration and exudate formation in a murine carrageenan-induced model of pleurisy. The extract showed the optimum dose, at 400 mg/kg, inhibiting cellular and vascular parameters: total leucocytes due to polymorphonuclear migration and exudate formation (p < 0.01). A phytochemical study was conducted using the hyphenated techniques HPLC-DAD-SPE/NMR and HPLC-DAD-ESI-TOF-HRMS, in which seven monoterpene indole alkaloids were identified: lyaloside 1, (E)-O-(6′)-cinnamoyl-4”-hydroxy-3”,5”-dimethoxy-lyaloside 2, strictosamide 3, pauridianthoside 4, vallesiachotamine lactone 5, E-vallesiachotamine 6 and Z-vallesiachotamine 7, in the alkaloid fraction, obtained by an acid-base extraction on P. stenocalyx crude extract. This is the first study developed with this species.