Chemical Profile of Bacopa procumbens and Its Antinociceptive Effect

Background: Bacopa procumbens is a plant species with medicinal properties. Although several of these properties have already been validated, its use for treating pain remains untested. Objective: the objective was therefore to test the antinociceptive effect of two extracts (n-hexane and hydroalcoholic) and two fractions (aqueous and organic) from the most active extract, as well as to determine the chemical profile of Bacopa procumbens. Methods: analgesic activity was determined by antinociceptive activity using the formalin model in mice. Compounds were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Compared to the vehicle treatment (3% Tween 20), licking time was 22.8 s and 141.6 s lower when treated with the hexane extract (200 mg/kg); 43.4 s and 152.5 s with the hydroalcoholic extract (200 mg/kg); 27.2 s and 169 s with the organic fraction; and 5.4 s and 32 s difference with the positive control, in phases 1 and 2, respectively. Phytochemical analysis of the hexane extract allowed us to identify 2-pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimetil- (11.70%), 6,10,14-trimethyl-, dibutyl phthalate (34.71%), and hexane-dioic acid bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (45.15%). Conclusions: We identified arbutin (1), 5-(p-hydroxybenzoyl) shikimic acid (2), and procumgastrodin A (3) in the BpFo fraction. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the BpH extract and the BpFo fraction have anti-nociceptive properties that may be associated with compounds 2 and 3.