title: Anti-allergic properties of the bromeliaceae Nidularium procerum: inhibition of eosinophil activation and influx.
abstract: New therapeutic approaches for the treatment of allergic diseases can be aided by the development of agents capable of regulating eosinophilic leukocytes. Here, we evaluated the anti-allergic properties of a crude extract of the Brazilian bromeliaceae Nidularium procerum, focusing on its effects on allergic eosinophilia. By studying allergic pleurisy in actively sensitized C57Bl/6 mice, we observed that pretreatment with N. procerum (2 mg/kg; i.p.) reduced pleural eosinophil influx triggered by allergen challenge. N. procerum was also able to reduce lipid body numbers found within infiltrating eosinophils, indicating that N. procerum in vivo is able to affect both migration and activation of eosinophils. Consistently, pretreatment with N. procerum blocked pleural eosinophil influx triggered by PAF or eotaxin, key mediators of the development of allergic pleural eosinophilia. The effect of N. procerum was not restricted to eosinophils, since N. procerum also inhibited pleural neutrophil and mononuclear cell influx. Of note, N. procerum failed to alter the acute allergic reaction, characterized by mast cell degranulation, oedema, and cysteinyl leukotriene release. N. procerum also had direct effects on murine eosinophils, since it inhibited both PAF- and eotaxin-induced eosinophil chemotaxis on an in vitro chemotactic assay. Therefore, N. procerum may be a promising anti-allergic therapy, inasmuch as it presents potent anti-eosinophil activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacodinâmica, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vieira-de-Abreu
authors.forename: Fábio C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Amendoeira
authors.forename: Gleice S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Cristiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zanon
authors.forename: Luciana M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chedier
authors.forename: Maria Raquel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Maria Auxiliadora C
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Válber S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Frutuoso
authors.forename: Hugo C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Castro-Faria-Neto
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: Christianne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandeira-Melo
authors.forename: Patrícia T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Bozza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D031229:Bromeliaceae; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000494:pharmacology; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010047:Ovalbumin; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; C515457:Ccl11 protein, mouse; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D018793:Interleukin-13; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; C037145:1-hexadecyl-2-acetyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine; D010047:Ovalbumin