Volume 24, Issue 2, March–April 2014, Pages 206–214
Open Access
Original article
Ethnopharmacological studies of Lippia origanoides
- Open Access funded by Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia
- Under a Creative Commons license
Abstract
Lippia origanoides
Kunth. Verbenaceae, is of great importance in the Brazilian traditional
medicine. Because of it, this work had the purpose to contribute to the
ethnopharmacological knowledge of L. origanoides through an ethnobotanical survey conducted within quilombola (maroon) communities of Oriximiná, Pará, Brazil. Among 254 plants cited in the survey, L. origanoides
stood out among the ten most versatile species. The agreed main uses
were to treat menstrual cramps, stomachache, and baby and postpartum
colic. This could indicate a consensus of the informants to possible
antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of L. origanoides. Therefore, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of L. origanoides
extract (aerial parts) were assessed through thermal (hot plate) and
chemical (formalin and acetic acid) models of nociception. A
dose-dependent reduction in acetic acid-induced writhing was observed
after treating mice with L. origanoides extract. The same
extract also inhibited significantly formalin-induced licking response
and proved to have a central antinociceptive effect, in the hot plate
test. This work demonstrates that L. origanoides is used specially by quilombola
women from Oriximiná for disorders of the genitourinary system and that
biological activities of this species could contribute to these uses.
Furthermore, it was also observed antispasmodic, analgesic and
antimicrobial uses of other species of the genus Lippia (Goniostachyum section), rich in thymol and carvacrol.
Keywords
- Lippia origanoides;
- Maroons Ethno-directed;
- Ethnopharmacology;
- Analgesic activity;
- Women's health
Introduction
Lippia origanoides
Kunth, Verbenaceae, is a very aromatic shrub distributed from southern
North America to northern South America, with prominent occurrence in
the Amazonian region of Brazil, the Guianas, Venezuela and Colombia ( Maisch, 1885 and Pascual et al., 2001). In Central America and Colombia, L. origanoides
is indicated against respiratory diseases, such as flu, bronchitis,
cough, and asthma; in the treatment of gastrointestinal disturbances
like stomach pain, nausea, indigestion, and as carminative; as well as
an antiseptic for the mouth, throat and wounds. The species is also used
for cooking, as seasoning, and to whet the appetite ( Morton, 1981 and Stashenko et al., 2010).
In Oriximiná city (Pará State), Northern Brazil, our group carried out
an ethnobotanical survey of the urban population. The results showed
that the leaves or aerial parts of L. origanoides, popularly
known as “salva-de-marajó”, have great importance in this locality where
it is used for the treatment of stomachache, baby colic, indigestion,
diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, flatus, “ladies belly” (uterine
inflammation), vaginal discharges, menstrual complaints and fever, as
well as a general antiseptic for mouth, throat, vagina and to cleanse
wounds (Oliveira et al., 2007). In continuation to our ethnobotanical
studies in Oriximiná, a survey on the medicinal plants used by
traditional maroon communities known as quilombolas (maroons)
was conducted. These communities are ethnic groups with a defined
historical background, specific territorial relations and presumptive
black ancestry related to historical resistance to oppression. Many of
these communities are still in contact with the natural biodiversity of
regions distant from the urban area of Oriximiná ( Oliveira et al., 2010). As a result of this survey, L. origanoides
was identified as one of the main medicinal species, with common use
that suggest its potential as an antispasmodic, especially for
gastrointestinal and genitourinary disturbances ( Oliveira, 2009).
Literature
on chemistry and pharmacology of this species are still scarce. There
are some studies on the chemical composition of the essential oil
obtained from its leaves, being carvacrol and thymol the main
constituents (Oliveira et al., 2007; Vicunã et al., 2010 and Stashenko et al., 2010).
However, there is limited knowledge about their non-volatile chemical
constituents. At the moment, the flavonoid pinocembrin (Stashenko et al., 2010) and two naphtoquinones have been described for this species (Brieskorn and Pohlmann, 1976).
From an ethnopharmacological perspective, there is only one study that
tests the antimicrobial properties of the species that could be related
to some of its traditional uses (Oliveira et al., 2007), confirming that
more studies are necessary to identify the biological potential of L. origanoides. In this sense, this work aims to contribute to the ethnopharmacological knowledge of L. origanoides,
using quantitative techniques in ethnobotany to determine the
versatility of its use and agreement among its uses within the maroon
communities of Oriximiná. In addition, some assays were performed in
order to verify the antinociceptive activity of the hydroalcoholic
extract of L.origanoides leaves that could contribute to explain some of its popular uses.
Material and methods
Characterization of the areas of study
The
municipality of Oriximiná is located in the northern region of Brazil,
in the State of Pará, It has an area of 107,603 km2 and is one of
largest municipalities of the Brazilian territory. It borders Suriname,
Guyana, and French Guiana to the north, the cities of Faro, Juruti, and
Óbidos to the South and East, and the States of Amazonas and Roraima to
the West. According to the 2010 census, Oriximiná has 62,963
inhabitants; 40,182 residing in urban areas and 22,781 in rural areas (IBGE, 2010).
Currently, there are 33 known quilombola
communities in the municipality of Oriximiná, which are divided into
eight territories (Água Fria, Boa Vista, Trombetas, Erepecuru, Alto
Trombetas, Jamari/Último Quilombo, Moura, and Ariramba) that, together,
encompass more than 600,000 hectares ( Fig. 1). The quilombolas
are represented by their association called Associação de Comunidades
Remanescentes de Quilombos do Município de Oriximiná – ARQMO
(Association of the Remaining “Quilombo” Communities from the
Municipality of Oriximiná). In this work, five communities representing
two quilombola areas were chosen: Bacabal and Arancuã-de-Cima
from the Trombetas region, as well as Serrinha, Jauari, and Pancada from
the Erepecuru region.
- Figure 1.- Map representing the quilombola area and the studied communities of Oriximiná, Pará State, Brazil.
