Anticoagulant activity, paw edema and pleurisy induced carrageenan: Action of major types of commercial carrageenans

Considering the use of commercials carrageenans as a model for inflammation, the aim this work is a comparative study these compounds in the pro-inflammatory action by ear edema and pleurisy and to analyze their anticoagulant activity. Paw edema was induced by injecting kappa, iota and lambda carrageenans in saline solution into the hind paw of male Wistar rats (p < 0.05). The three types of carrageenans showed different volume in pleural exudates, characterized by fluid accumulation, a large number of neutrophils and raised NO production (p < 0.001). The activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) for kappa and iota carrageenans (100 μg) was 240 s and 132 s, respectively. Lambda carrageenan was the most potent anticoagulant at 240 s (20 μg). These carragenans demonstrated no anticoagulant action using the PT test in vitro. Histological analysis in paw edema demonstrated that iota and lambda carrageenans showed major cellular infiltration in relation to kappa. Thus, quantitative evaluation of inflammation demonstrated that iota and lambda carrageenans have higher inflammatory potential than do kappa carrageenans.