Topical anti-inflammatory activity of Serjania erecta Radlk (Sapindaceae) extracts

Serjania erecta Radlk (Sapindaceae), commonly called cinco-folhas or cipó-cinco-folhas in Brazil, is thought to be effective for treating several inflammatory diseases. In order to verify the topical anti-inflammatory effect of Serjania erecta, hydroalcoholic extract and fractions were obtained by extraction in solvents of increasing polarity and were tested in mouse models using croton-oil-induced inflammation. Our findings showed that topical application of Serjania erecta hydroalcoholic extract (0.01–3.0 mg/ear), and the dichloromethane (0.03–1.0 mg/ear), ethyl acetate (0.03–1.0 mg/ear), and hexane (0.003–1.0 mg/ear) fractions revealed significant activity, causing a dose-dependent reduction of croton-oil ear edema (ID50 = 0.14 mg/ear, 0.23 mg/ear, 0.14 mg/ear, 0.04 mg/ear, respectively). The extract and all tested fractions also decreased tissue myeloperoxidase activity (indicative of polymorphonuclear leukocytes influx) in mouse-ears treated with croton oil with a maximum inhibition of 72% at 3.0 mg/ear for the hydroalcoholic extract and 81%, 78%, and 83% at 1.0 mg/ear for dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and hexane fractions, respectively. As expected, dexamethasone (0.05 mg/ear) was effective in inhibiting both edema and myeloperoxidase activity (99% and 82%, respectively). In conclusion, our results indicate a topical anti-inflammatory effect for the species of Serjania studied.