Alkannin and shikonin, two natural products from Alkanna tinctoria and Lithospermum erhythrorhizon (Boraginaceae), are used in folk medicine where they are claimed to possess, among other properties, wound healing and anti-inflammatory activity. We investigated, together with the structurally
A pharmacological comparison between the enantiomers, shikonin (R) and alkannin (S), was made with regard to their inhibitory effects on the increased capillary permeability and thermal edema in rats, using phenylbutazone as a positive control in both models. The results of experiments have shown