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Antinociceptive activity and toxicology of the lectin from Canavalia boliviana seeds in mice

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential antinociceptive and toxicity of Canavalia boliviana lectin (CboL) using different methods in mice. The role of carbohydrate-binding sites was also investigated. CboL given to mice daily for 14 days at doses of 5 mg/kg did not cause any observable toxicity. CboL (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) administered to mice intravenously inhibited abdominal constrictions induced by acetic acid and the two phases of the formalin test. In the hot plate and tail immersion tests, the same treatment of CboL induced significant increase in the latency period. In the hot plate test, the effect of CboL (5 mg/kg) was reversed by naloxone (1 mg/kg), indicating the involvement of the opioid system. In the open-field and rota-rod tests, the CboL treatment did not alter animals' motor function. These results show that CboL presents antinociceptive effects of both central and peripheral origin, involving the participation of the opioid system via lectin domain.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação Cearense de Amparo à Pesquisa. Drs. Ana Maria S. Assreuy, Benildo S. Cavada, Fernando de Q. Cunha, and Nylane Maria N. Alencar are senior investigators of CNPq (Brazil). We thank Patrícia Sâmara de Sousa, Ieda R. dos Santos, and Sérgio Roberto Rosa for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, 60451-970, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Jozi Godoy Figueiredo, Cícero Silvano Teixeira, Eduardo Henrique Salviano Bezerra & Benildo Sousa Cavada

  2. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Cel. Nunes de Melo 1127, 60430-270, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Flávio da Silveira Bitencourt, Ingrid Gonçalves Beserra, Patrícia Bastos Luz, Mário Rogério Lima Mota & Nylane Maria Nunes de Alencar

  3. Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, 60740-000, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Ana Maria Sampaio Assreuy

  4. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, 14049-900, São Paulo, Brazil

    Fernando de Queiroz Cunha

  5. Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo 1127, CEP 60451-970, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

    Nylane Maria Nunes de Alencar

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  1. Jozi Godoy Figueiredo
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  2. Flávio da Silveira Bitencourt
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Correspondence to Nylane Maria Nunes de Alencar.

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Figueiredo, J.G., da Silveira Bitencourt, F., Beserra, I.G. et al. Antinociceptive activity and toxicology of the lectin from Canavalia boliviana seeds in mice. Naunyn-Schmied Arch Pharmacol 380, 407–414 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-009-0448-2

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