Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from the green seaweed Caulerpa cupressoides

Background: red and brown algae sulfated polysaccharides (sps) have been widely investigated as antinociceptive and/or antiinflammatory agents; however,no description of these biological properties concerning green algae sps have been reported. caulerpa curpressoides (chlorophyta) presents three sps fractions (cc-sp1,cc-sp2,and cc-sp3). anticoagulant (in vitro) and anti- and pro-thrombotic (in vivo) effects of cc-sp2 had been recently reported.we evaluated the effects of cc-sp2 using models of nociception and acute inflammation in vivo. methods: male swiss mice received cc-sp2 (iv) 30 min prior to receiving 0.6% acetic acid (10 ml/kg,ip),1% formalin (20 μl,sc) or were subjected to thermal stimuli (51 ± 1°c). cc-sp2 was injected sc to malewistar rats in a peritonitis model or a paw edema model using carrageenan (ip or ipl,500 μg). to analyze the systemic effects,cc-sp2 (27 mg/kg,sc) was administrated to both genders mice before waiting for 14 days. results: cc-sp2 (3,9 or 27 mg/kg) reduced (p < 0.05) the number of writhes induced by acetic acid by 57,89.9 and 90.6%,respectively,the licking time in the first (9 or 27 mg/kg with 42.47 and 52.1%,respectively) and the second (3,9 or 27 mg/kg with 68.95,82.34 and 84.61%,respectively) phases. in the hot-plate test,the antinociceptive effect of cc-sp2 (9 mg/kg) was primarily observed at 60 min (26.7 ± 1.2 s),with its effect reversed by naloxone (8.6 ± 1.3 s),suggesting the involvement of the opioid system. cc-sp2 (3,9 or 27 mg/kg,sc,p < 0.05) showed anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing neutrophils migration by 64,69 and 73%,respectively,and potently reduced the paw edema,especially at the second (0.16 ± 0.02,0.16 ± 0.03 and 0.12 ± 0.05 ml) and third (0.16 ± 0.03,0.18 ± 0.02 and 0.14 ± 0.04 ml) hours,respectively. cc-sp2 did not cause hepatic or renal alterations or affect body mass or the macroscopy of the organs examined (p > 0.05). histopathological analyses of the liver and kidney showed that both organs were affected by cc-sp2 treatment,but these effects were considered reversible. conclusion: the results indicate that the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of cc-sp2 could be of biomedical applicability as a new,natural tool in pain and acute inflammatory conditions. copyright © 2012 by institute of pharmacology polish academy of sciences.