[Study on the anti-endotoxin effect of saponin from Tupistra chinensis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of saponin from Tupistra chinensis Baker (STCB) on lethal toxicity of endotoxin in mice and explore the underlying mechanism.


METHODS
Mouse models of endotoxin-induced death and endotoximia were established by intraperitoneal administration of KM mice with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in doses of 60 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg respectively. Mouse survival rate and survival time were recorded and the serum levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in endotoximia mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mouse peritoneal exudate cells induced by LPS were used as an in vitro inflammatory model,which was then intervened with STCB and the levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in the culture supernatants were measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
The survival rates of mice prophylactically treated with STCB (200 and 400 mg/kg, in 5 consecutive days) were slightly higher compared with that in model group,but no statistical difference was observed (P>0.05). The survival time was much longer in the treated group (P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in STCB-treated mice (200 and 400 mg/kg, in 5 consecutive days) were significantly lower compared with those in model group (P<0.05). STCB (20 and 40 microg/mL) remarkably inhibited LPS-induced IL-1beta and TNF-alpha production by peritoneal exudate cells in vitro (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Saponin from Tupistra chinensis showed beneficial effect on the prevention of mice from lipopolysaccharides-induced death, in which down regulation of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha expression might be involved.
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Jing
J
Ren
Lin-Sheng
LS
Lei
Chuan-Lin
CL
Yu
Gai-Yi-Nan
GY
He
Na-Na
NN
Chen
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000506:poisoning*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D019668:Liliaceae; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011897:Random Allocation; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004731:Endotoxins; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012503:Saponins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003907:Dexamethasone