Polysaccharides derived from Morinda citrifolia Linn reduce inflammatory markers during experimental colitis

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2020-02, Vol.248 (NA), p.112303-112303, Article 112303
• Main Authors: Batista, Jalles Arruda, Magalhães, Diva de Aguiar, Sousa, Stefany Guimarães, Ferreira, Jayro dos Santos, Pereira, Cynthia Maria Carvalho, Lima, José Victor do Nascimento, de Albuquerque, Ieda Figueira, Bezerra, Nayonara Lanara Sousa Dutra, de Brito, Tarcisio Vieira, Monteiro, Carlos Eduardo da Silva, Franco, Alvaro Xavier, Di Lenardo, David, Oliveira, Lorena Almeida, Feitosa, Judith Pessoa de Andrade, de Paula, Regina Célia Monteiro, Barros, Francisco Clarck Nogueira, Freitas, Ana Lúcia Ponte, de Oliveira, Jefferson Soares, Vasconcelos, Daniel Fernando Pereira, Soares, Pedro Marcos Gomes, Barbosa, André Luiz dos Reis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic Acid; Animals; Anti-inflammatory; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antioxidant; Colitis; Colitis - chemically induced; Colitis - drug therapy; Colitis - metabolism; Colitis - pathology; Colon - drug effects; Colon - metabolism; Colon - pathology; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Fruit; Glutathione - metabolism; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; Male; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Mice; Morinda; Morinda Citrifolia Linn; Nitrates - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Nitrites - metabolism; Peroxidase - metabolism; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; Polysaccharides - therapeutic use; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112303

There are many reports of pharmacological activities of extracts and fractions of different vegetable-derived products in the scientific literature and in folk medicine. Ethnopharmacological use of these products by various communities continues to be extensively explored, and they account for more than half of all medications used worldwide. Polysaccharides (PLS) extracted from plants such as Morinda Citrifolia Linn present therapeutic potential in treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis (UC). To evaluate the anti-inflammatory action of Noni-PLS against the intestinal damage in UC induced by acetic acid in mice. In acetic acid-induced colitis, the mice were treated intraperitoneally (ip) with Noni-PLS (0.1, 0.3, and 3.0 mg/kg) or subcutaneously (sc) with dexamethasone (2.0 mg/kg) 30 min before euthanasia to determine the best dose of Noni-PLS with an anti-inflammatory effect in the course of UC. The colonic tissue samples were collected for macroscopic, wet weight, microscopic and biochemical (myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrate/nitrite (NO3/NO2), cytokines, cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide (iNOS)) analyses. Treatment with Noni-PLS reduced the intestinal damage induced by acetic acid as it reduced macroscopic and microscopic scores and the wet weight of the colon. In addition, MPO activity and levels of GSH, MDA, NO3/NO2, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and COX-2 expression reduced. This study suggests that Noni-PLS exhibits anti-inflammatory action against intestinal damage by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration, oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory action of cytokines, COX-2 and iNOS expression in the inflamed colon. Noni-PLS shows therapeutic potential against inflammatory disorders like UC. [Display omitted]