Anti-inflammatory, analgesic activity and acute toxicity of Sida cordifolia L. (Malva-branca).

Sida cordifolia L. (Malvaceae) is used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation of the oral mucosa, blenorrhea, asthmatic bronchitis and nasal congestion. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic effects and acute toxicity of an aqueous extract of S. cordifolia were evaluated in animal models. The extract was prepared using leaves collected before the flowering period. The aqueous extract (AE) showed a significant inhibition of carrageenin-induced rat paw edema at a dose of 400 mg/kg administered orally, but did not block the edema induced by arachidonic acid. The AE also increased the latency period for mice in the hot plate test, and inhibited the number of writhes produced by acetic acid at the oral dose of 400 mg/kg. The aqueous extract of S. cordifolia showed low acute toxicity in mice.