Anti-inflammatory action of hydroalcoholic extract, dichloromethane fraction and steroid α-spinasterol from Polygala sabulosa in LPS-induced peritonitis in mice

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2014-01, Vol.151 (1), p.144-150
• Main Authors: Borges, Fabio R.M., Silva, Morgana D., Córdova, Marina M., Schambach, Tiago R., Pizzolatti, Moacir G., Santos, Adair R.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - chemistry; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Cytokines; Ethanol - chemistry; Inflammation; Lipopolysaccharide; Lipopolysaccharides - toxicity; Methylene Chloride - chemistry; Mice; Molecular Structure; Peritonitis - chemically induced; Peritonitis - drug therapy; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Polygala - chemistry; Polygala sabulosa; Polygalaceae; Stigmasterol - analogs & derivatives; Stigmasterol - chemistry; Stigmasterol - pharmacology; Water - chemistry; α-spinasterol
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.10.009

Polygala sabulosa A. W. Bennett is a small herb popularly known as “timutu-pinheirinho” that is widely distributed in southern Brazil and that is used to treat disorders of the bowel and kidney and as a topical anesthetic and expectorant in folk medicine. This study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of the hydroalcoholic extract (HEPs), CH2Cl2 fraction and the steroid α-spinasterol obtained from the aerial parts of Polygala sabulosa in a model of acute inflammation induced by intraperitoneal injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide in mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of HEPs (3–300mg/kg, i.g.), CH2Cl2 fraction (0.003–30mg/kg, i.g.) and steroid α-spinasterol (0.001–1mg/kg, i.p. or 1–10mg/kg, i.g.), were evaluated in mice subjected to the acute inflammation caused by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.02µg/kg). The anti-inflammatory activity of the HEPs, CH2Cl2 fraction and steroid were assessed by determining the total numbers of leukocytes and differential cell counts (neutrophils and mononuclear cells) and levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) or anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in peritoneal fluid. The administration of HEPs (3–300mg/kg, i.g.) completely inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration (300mg/kg, i.g.) and it reduced TNF-α (100–300mg/kg) and IL-1β (100mg/kg) levels in LPS-injected mice. Furthermore, the administration of CH2Cl2 fraction (0.003–30mg/kg, i.g.) or α-spinasterol (0.001–10mg/kg, by i.p. or i.g.) significantly reduces inflammatory cell infiltration in LPS-injected mice. Moreover, dexamethasone (0.5mg/kg, i.p., used as a positive control) inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in LPS-injected mice. Taken together, these results provide the first experimental evidence demonstrating that HEPs have significant anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced inflammation. These effects appear to be, at least in part, due to the presence of α-spinasterol. These findings support the widespread use of Polygala sabulosa in popular medicine and demonstrate that this plant has therapeutic potential for the development of phytomedicines with anti-inflammatory properties. [Display omitted]