Ability of certain plant extracts traditionally used to treat ciguatera fish poisoning to inhibit nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages.
OBJECTIVE
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is an intertropical ichthyosarcotoxism that manifests in complex assortment of symptoms in humans. Ciguatoxins (CTXs), issued from Gambierdicus spp., are causative agents of this intoxication. We have recently demonstrated that a Pacific CTX (P-CTX-1B) strongly modulated iNOS expression, leading to overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. NO produced in large amounts is involved in a wide range of pathophysiological processes. Many traditional remedies are commonly used in the Pacific against CFP. In this context, bioassay-guided screening was carried out to study NO inhibiting capacity of 28 selected plant extracts.


METHODS
We prepared aqueous extracts of plants used in New Caledonia in the treatment of CFP and screened their NO inhibitory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages.


RESULTS
Among 28 plants tested, Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae), Syzygium malaccense (Myrtaceae), Schinus terebenthifolius (Anacardiaceae), Punica granatum (Punicaceae), Cerbera manghas (Apocynaceae), Vitex trifolia (Labiateae) and Ximenia americana (Olacaceae) showed inhibitory activity, validating their use as traditional remedies in CFP, and the potential for use in the treatment of conditions accompanied by NO overproduction.


CONCLUSIONS
These plants are promising candidates for further screening of their active compounds through activity-guided fractionation.
Kumar-Roiné
Shilpa
S
Université de Toulouse, UPS, UMR 152 (Laboratoire de Pharmacochimie des Substances Naturelles et Pharmacophores Redox), 118 Rte de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
Matsui
Mariko
M
Reybier
Karine
K
Darius
Hélène Taiana
HT
Chinain
Mireille
M
Pauillac
Serge
S
Laurent
Dominique
D
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D036841:Ciguatera Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D002922:Ciguatoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002922:Ciguatoxins; D009569:Nitric Oxide