Semicarbazones induce an
anticonvulsant effect in different experimental models. As some
anticonvulsant drugs also have anti-inflammatory activity, the effects of
benzaldehyde semicarbazone (BS) on models of nociception,
edema and angiogenesis were investigated. BS (10, 25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p.) markedly inhibited the second phase of nociceptive response induced by
formaldehyde (0.34%, 20 microl) in mice, but only the highest dose inhibited the first phase of this response. The
thermal hyperalgesia and
mechanical allodynia induced by
carrageenan (1%, 50 microl, i.pl.) in rats were also inhibited by BS (50 mg/kg, i.p.). However, treatment of mice with BS did not induce an antinociceptive effect in the hot-plate model. The paw
edema induced by
carrageenan (1%, 50 microl, i.pl.) in rats was inhibited by BS (25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p.). Treatment of mice with BS (0.25, 0.5 or 2.5 mg/kg/day, i.p., 7 days) also inhibited angiogenesis induced by subcutaneous implantation of a sponge disc. It is unlikely that the antinociceptive effect induced by BS results from motor
incoordination or a muscle relaxing effect, as the mice treated with this
drug displayed no behavioral impairment in the rotarod apparatus. In conclusion, we demonstrated that BS presents antinociceptive, antiedematogenic and antiangiogenic activities. An extensive investigation of the pharmacological actions of BS and its derivatives is justified and may lead to the development of new clinically useful drugs.