Acta Scientiarum http://www.uem.br/acta ISSN printed: 1806-2563 ISSN on-line: 1807-8664 Doi: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v35i3.15365 Antinociceptive activity and acute toxicological study of a novel sulfated polysaccharide from Caulerpa cupressoides var. lycopodium (Chlorophyta) in Swiss mice José Ariévilo Gurgel Rodrigues1, Edfranck de Sousa Oliveira Vanderlei2, Ana Luíza Gomes Quinderé2, Valdécio Silvano Monteiro2, Silvânia Maria Mendes de Vasconcelos3 and Norma Maria Barros Benevides1* 1Laboratório de Carboidratos e Lectinas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Mister Hull, s/n, 60455-970, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. 2Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. 3Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. *Author for correspondence. E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT. Caulerpa cupressoides var. lycopodium (Chlorophyta) contains three sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) fractions (SP1, SP2 and SP3); but, their pharmacological properties have been limited. We investigated the antinociceptive activity of non-anticoagulant fraction (SP1) and then its acute toxicological study in male Swiss mice was performed. Animals (19-25 g) received i.v. SP1 30 min. prior to injection 0.8% acetic acid (10 mL kg-1, i.p.); 1% formalin (20 μL, i.pl.) or were subjected to thermal stimuli. Open-field test was -1 th also performed. Mice were treated i.p. with SP1 or 0.9% saline (0.1 mL 10 g ) for 72h. On the 4 day, the animals were anesthetized and sacrificed in order to collect blood and organs. SP1 (3, 9 or 27 mg kg-1) reduced (p < 0.05) the number of writhes induced by acetic acid by 44.21, 47.72 and 90.87%, respectively. SP1 inhibited (p < 0.05) the second phase of the formalin test, without antinociceptive effect in the hot-plate test, suggesting that its analgesic action occurs through of peripheral mechanisms. SP1 did -1 not modify the locomotor activity. SP1 (27 mg kg ) did not cause hepatic or renal dysfunctions, but affected the spleen of animals (p < 0.05). Therefore, SP1 has analgesic action with high tolerance by the animals, presenting its potential applicability in pain conditions. Keywords: green alga, sulfated sugars, nociception, biochemical analysis. Atividade antinociceptiva e estudo toxicológico agudo de um polissacarídeo sulfatado novo de Caulerpa cupressoides var. lycopodium (Chlorophyta) em camundongos Swiss RESUMO. A Chlorophyta Caulerpa cupressoides var. lycopodium possui três frações de polissacarídeos sulfatados (PSs) (PS1; PS2 e PS3). Entretanto, são limitadas suas propriedades farmacológicas. Investigou-se a atividade antinociceptiva da fração não-anticoagulante PS1 e, em seguida, foi desenvolvido seu estudo toxicológico agudo em camundongos Swiss machos. Os animais (19-25 g) receberam i.v. PS1 30 min. antes da injeção de ácido acético 0,8% (10 mL kg-1; i.p.); formalina 1% (20 μL; i.pl.) ou foram submetidos a estímulo térmico. Também foi utilizado o teste de campo aberto. Os camundongos foram tratados i.p. com -1 PS1 ou salina 0,9% (0,1 mL 10 g ) durante 72h. No quarto dia, os animais foram anestesiados e sacrificados -1 para coleta de sangue e órgãos. A PS1 (3, 9 ou 27 mg kg ) reduziu (p < 0,05) o número de contorções induzidas por ácido acético em 44,21; 47,72 e 90,87%, respectivamente, além de inibir (p < 0,05) a segunda fase do teste da formalina. Entretanto, não se apresentou efeito antinociceptivo no teste da placa quente, sugerindo ação analgésica mediante mecanismo periférico. A PS1 não modificou a atividade locomotora. -1 A PS1 (27 mg kg ) não causou disfunção hepática ou renal, mas afetou o baço dos animais (p < 0,05). Portanto, PS1 possui ações analgésicas e mostrando-se tolerante aos animais, apresentando aplicabilidade potencial em condições dolorosas. Palavras-chave: alga verde, açúcares sulfatados, nocicepção, análises bioquímicas. Introduction for bioactive products (with anticoagulant, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory effects etc.) In recent years, the human consumption of (ARAÚJO et al., 2012; POMIN, 2012; seaweeds as food (thickening, gelling and stabilizing, RODRIGUES et al., 2011a; VANDERLEI et al., nutrients, etc.) (CAMPO et al., 2009; MARINHO- 2010) with minimum adverse effects (ALMEIDA- SORIANO et al., 2006; SMIT, 2004), and the search LIMA et al., 2011; ASSREUY et al., 2008; LI Acta Scientiarum. Technology Maringá, v.35, n. 3, p. 417-425, July-Sept., 2013 418 Rodrigues et al. et al., 2005; VANDERLEI et al., 2010) have Pain promotes an uncomfortable sensation to increased worldwide. patients, and may be caused by tissue lesions or by In review of Smit (2004), natural products from an independent manner, being thus a complex seaweeds have attracted commercial significance and interaction between peripheral and central structure influenced the modern western societies. Marine algae from skin to central cerebral cortex. Tissue damage have been mainly used in medical and biochemical (due to inflammation or injury) may result in research. Of all seaweed products, sulfated chronic neuropathic pain caused by increased polysaccharides (SPs), including galactan sensitivity to painful stimuli (MOALEM; TRACEY, (Rhodophyta) (CAMPO et al., 2009; POMIN, 2012), 2006). Animal models of nociception have been fucan or fucoidan (Phaeophyta) (ALMEIDA-LIMA widely used as important tools for discovering new et al., 2011; LI et al., 2005), and arabinogalactan natural analgesic compounds (ARAÚJO et al., 2011; (Chlorophyta) (GHOSH et al., 2004; HAYAKAWA ASSREUY et al., 2008; COURA et al., 2012; et al., 2000), are the most frequently found. These FARIAS et al., 2011; VANDERLEI et al., 2010; anionic polymers comprise the extracellular matrix of VIANA et al., 2002). these marine organisms playing an important The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are protective role (ANDRADE et al., 2010). commonly used in the suppression of the Although widely studied as anticoagulant and inflammatory reaction in medical clinic, having the antithrombotic agents (ALMEIDA-LIMA et al., property to inhibit initial or latter manifestations. 2011; LI et al., 2005; PEREIRA et al., 2005), SPs However, the prolonged administration of these may modulate a large number of other biological therapeutic agents is usually followed by activities, including antiviral (GHOSH et al., 2004), complications (gastric perforations, stomach ulcers antinociceptive, pro-inflammatory (ARAÚJO et al., and bleeding) (IWALEWA et al., 2007). 2011; ASSREUY et al., 2008; VIANA et al., 2002), Issues about the safety of SPs are still rarely antitumor (LINS et al., 2009) and anti-inflammatory reported (CAMPO et al., 2009; LI et al., 2005; properties (ARAÚJO et al., 2012; COURA et al., RODRIGUES et al., 2011c). Almeida-Lima et al. 2012; SIQUEIRA et al., 2011). It has been accepted (2011) examined the subchronic toxicity in vivo of a that enzymatic digestion of seaweed results in high heterofucan (Fucan A) from Spatoglossum schröderi bioactive yield and shows biological activity in (Phaeophyta) and no toxicologically significant changes were observed in the biochemical or comparison with water extract (RODRIGUES et al., hematological parameters in treated Wistar rats. In 2011a). In addition, the use of enzymes may be the present study, it was investigated the effects of a useful to extract pharmaceutically important novel antinociceptive non-anticoagulant SP from materials without toxicity (HEO et al., 2005). C. cupressoides var. lycopodium (Chlorophyta) using The genus Caulerpa Lamouroux (1809) of green experimental animal models of nociception and seaweed of the family Caulerpaceae encompasses about locomotion. The safety of this compound was also one hundred species, found in tropical and subtropical evaluated using an acute toxicity model in Swiss mice. waters. Algae from this genus have highly invasive capacity in the marine environment, being important Material and methods contributors to the algal biomass of coral reefs and Experimental design lagoons (TRI, 2009). Some metabolites with chemotaxonomic and medicinal significance have been The crude SP was extracted from C. cupressoides and the antinociceptive activity of a non- isolated (MAO et al., 2011; RODRIGUES et al., anticoagulant fraction (SP ) was tested in vivo with 2012). In Brazil, some species of this genus have 1 experimental animal models of nociception and already been registered (RODRIGUES et al., 2012; locomotion using male mice. The effects on some VANDERLEI et al., 2010). Anticoagulant, biochemical parameters were also evaluated in mice antithrombotic, antitumor, antiviral and pro- treated for 72h using an acute toxicity model. thrombotic activities of the Caulerpa SPs have been described in the literature (GHOSH et al., 2004; Marine alga and isolation and chemical composition of SPs HAYAKAWA et al., 2000; JI et al., 2008; Specimens of the green alga C. cupressoides var. RODRIGUES et al., 2011b). However, there are few lycopodium (Vahl) C. Agardh (Chlorophyta, studies on the biological potential of Caulerpa SPs. In Caulerpaceae) were collected (September, 2009) on addition, report in animal models of nociception and the seashore of Flecheiras Beach on the Atlantic locomotion of seaweeds SPs, to the best of our coast of Ceará State, Brazil. The algal samples were knowledge, has not been associated to data. taken to the Carbohydrate and Lectins Laboratory Acta Scientiarum. Technology Maringá, v. 35, n. 3,