Extract of european spruce strobiles as a promising tool to minimize the risks of inflammation

Abstract

The article is devoted to examining anti-inflammatory activity of dry aqueous extract of European spruce (Picea abies) strobiles using different routes of administration. Strobiles of European spruce for extracts were harvested on the territory of the Perm region of the Russian Federation in a mixed forest with a predominance of European spruce and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Dry aqueous extract was obtained according to the original patented method. Procyanidins content in spruce strobiles and dry extracts was determined by using acid cleavage of procyanidins to anthocyanidins according to the Porter method. Anti-inflammatory activity was established by using carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. White laboratory outbred Wistar rats were used in the experiment. According to the results of the study, the procyanidin content was found to equal approximately 13 % in the samples of spruce strobiles. Intraperitoneal administration of dry extract of strobile spruce at a dose of 100 mg/kg was established to induce a pronounced anti-inflammatory activity. Intraperitoneal administration of smaller doses of strobile extract resulted in a pronounced anti-inflammatory activity at a dose of 50 mg/kg. A dose of 10 mg/kg successfully suppressed inflammation (50 % edema suppression) 1 and 3 hours after carrageenan administration (p < 0.05) according to hydrometric data, but this was not confirmed by photometric data. Oral administration of the extract showed no anti-inflammatory activity. With the rectal route of administration, no pronounced anti-inflammatory activity was found in the studied extract. The extract of spruce strobiles obtained by the original method contains 56 % procyanidins and exhibits pronounced anti-inflammatory activity when administered intraperitoneally. The use of the extract in oral and rectal routes of administration requires more in-depth study.