The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of the crude hydroalcoholic extract (CHE) from the aerial parts of Croton antisyphiliticus, its fractions and isolated compounds derived from it on the mouse model of
pleurisy induced by
carrageenan. The aerial parts of C. antisyphiliticus were dried, macerated and extracted with
ethanol to obtain the CHE, which was fractionated by liquid-liquid extraction using
solvents with increasing polarity to obtain
hexane (Hex),
ethyl acetate (EA) and aqueous (Aq) fractions.
Vitexin and
quinic acid were isolated from Aq fraction. Capillary electrophoresis analysis, physical characteristics and spectral data produced by infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H and (13)C NMR) and mass spectrometry analyses were used to identify and elucidate the structure of the isolated compounds. The experimental model of
pleurisy was induced in mice by a single intrapleural injection of
carrageenan (1 %). Leukocytes, exudate concentrations,
myeloperoxidase (MPO) and
adenosine-deaminase (ADA) activities and
nitrate/
nitrite (NOx),
tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and
interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels were determined in the pleural fluid leakage at 4 h after
pleurisy induction. Animals pre-treated with CHE, Hex, EA, Aq,
vitexin and
quinic acid exhibited decreases in leukocytes, exudate concentrations, MPO and ADA activities and NOx levels (p < 0.05). Also CHE, Hex, EA and
vitexin but not
quinic acid inhibited TNF-α and
IL-17 levels (p < 0.05). C. antisyphiliticus caused anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the activated leukocytes, exudate concentrations, NOx, TNF-α, and
IL-17 levels. The compounds
vitexin and
quinic acid may be responsible for this anti-inflammatory action.