Antinociceptive properties of steroids isolated from Phyllanthus corcovadensis in mice

The antinociceptive actions of the steroid compounds isolated from the leaves, stems, and roots of P. corcovadensis have been investigated in mice. Stigmasterol, stigmasterol acetate, beta-sitosterol, and aspirin (3-100 mk/kg, i.p.) inhibited, in a dose-related manner, acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction in mice with ID50s of 16, 11, 9, and 24 mg/kg, respectively. In the formalin test, stigmasterol and stigmasterol acetate (10-100 mg/kg, i.p.) caused graded inhibition of both the neurogenic (first phase) and inflammatory phases (second phase) of formalin-induced pain. However, both compounds were more effective in relation of the second phase of the formalin test with ID50 values of 26 and 41 mg/kg, respectively. Furthermore, both steroids failed to affect the edematogenic response of the formalin test. Given orally, stigmasterol and stigmasterol acetate (50-200 mg/kg) also exhibited significant though less potent analgesic action against both acetic acid- and formalin-induced nociception in mice. In addition, stigmasterol (up to 100 mg/kg, i.p.), in contrast to morphine (10 mg/kg, s.c.), had no analgesic effect in either tail-flick or hot-plate models. These findings suggest that stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol may account, at least in part, for the antinociceptive actions reported previously for the hydroalcoholic extract of Phyllanthus corcovadensis.