Ethnopharmacological studies of Lippia origanoides

Abstract

Lippia origanoidesKunth. Verbenaceae, is of great importance in the Brazilian traditional medicine. Because of it, this work had the purpose to contribute to the ethnopharmacological knowledge of L. origanoidesthrough an ethnobotanical survey conducted within quilombola (maroon) communities of Oriximiná, Pará, Brazil. Among 254 plants cited in the survey, L. origanoidesstood out among the ten most versatile species. The agreed main uses were to treat menstrual cramps, stomachache, and baby and postpartum colic. This could indicate a consensus of the informants to possible antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of L. origanoides. Therefore, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of L. origanoidesextract (aerial parts) were assessed through thermal (hot plate) and chemical (formalin and acetic acid) models of nociception. A dose-dependent reduction in acetic acid-induced writhing was observed after treating mice with L. origanoidesextract. The same extract also inhibited significantly formalin-induced licking response and proved to have a central antinociceptive effect, in the hot plate test. This work demonstrates that L. origanoidesis used specially by quilombolawomen from Oriximiná for disorders of the genitourinary system and that biological activities of this species could contribute to these uses. Furthermore, it was also observed antispasmodic, analgesic and antimicrobial uses of other species of the genus Lippia(Goniostachyumsection), rich in thymol and carvacrol. © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.