title: Anti-inflammatory activity in the aqueous crude extract of the leaves of Nidularium procerum: A bromeliaceae from the Brazilian coastal rain forest.
abstract: Nidularium procerum LINDMAN, a common bromeliaceae from the Brazilian flora, remains poorly studied regarding its chemical and pharmacological properties. We have recently published that N. procerum has potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. In the present work, we have investigated potential mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of N. procerum aqueous extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-, platelet activating factor (PAF)- or formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-induced pleurisy models of inflammation. We found that the aqueous extract of N. procerum leaves (leaf aqueous extract; LAE) inhibits the neutrophil migration, production of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 and -6 (IL-1 and IL-6) and the generation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in LPS-induced pleural inflammation in mice. Such inhibitory effect of N. procerum on PGE2 generation was tightly correlated to the inhibition of formation of new cytoplasmic lipid bodies within recruited leukocytes. N. procerum also blocked the in vivo neutrophil influx induced by injection of PAF or fMLP into the mouse pleural cavity and directly inhibited PAF-induced neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro. The data obtained in this study indicate that N. procerum LAE exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by interfering with the capacity of the host to respond to injury at different levels. Among the different functions affected by N. procerum LAE, lipid body formation, PGE2 and cytokine production and neutrophil chemotaxis are readily evidenced in relevant surrogate models. The N. procerum bioactive profile makes it an attractive candidate for future development as a drug or phytomedicine.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacodinâmica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabio Coelho
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Amendoeira
authors.forename: Valber Silva
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Frutuoso
authors.forename: Cristiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zanon
authors.forename: Luciana Moreira
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chedier
authors.forename: Maria Raquel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Maria Auxiliadora Coelho
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Christianne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandeira-Melo
authors.forename: Patrícia Torres
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Bozza
authors.forename: Hugo Caire
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Castro-Faria-Neto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D031229:Bromeliaceae; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010936:Plant Extracts