OBJECTIVE

Cocos nucifera cultivated in Brazil is known as "coco-da-Bahia" or "coqueiro-da-India". The tea from the husk fiber is widely used to several inflammatory disorders. Crude extract and fractions obtained from Cocos nucifera "common variety" were evaluated to test the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities.

METHODS

Crude extract (CE, 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg), fraction 1 (F1, molecular weight lesser than 1 kDa, 1, 10, and 50mg/kg), fraction 2 (F2, molecular weight higher than 1 kDa, 1, 10, and 50mg/kg), and the references drugs morphine (5mg/kg), acetilsalicilic acid (200mg/kg), prometazine (30 mg/kg), and metisergide (5mg/kg) were evaluated on models of analgesia and inflammation.

RESULTS

CE, F1, and F2 significantly develop peripheral and central antinociceptive activity but with less effect on supra-spinal regions of the brain. Administration of the opioid antagonist, naloxone (5mg/kg) inhibited the antinociceptive effect indicating that Cocos nucifera crude extract and fractions may be acting in opioid receptors. CE and F1 also inhibited rat paw edema induced by histamine, and serotonin.

CONCLUSIONS

results demonstrated that Cocos nucifera and its fractions have antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities which confirm the popular use of this plant in several inflammatory disorders.