Analgesic activity of the lignans from Lychnophora ericoides.

Lychnophora ericoides is a Brazilian medicinal plant that is commercially available as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. The extract from roots, which yielded 10 lignans, showed analgesic activity in the mouse writhing test and the lignan, cubebin, was one of the most active. Anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic activities from cubebin (10 mg/kg) revealed no significant effects. In addition two previously unknown methyl clusin derivatives are reported.