title: Anti-inflammatory action of hydroalcoholic extract, dichloromethane fraction and steroid α-spinasterol from Polygala sabulosa in LPS-induced peritonitis in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polygala sabulosa A. W. Bennett is a small herb popularly known as "timutu-pinheirinho" that is widely distributed in southern Brazil and that is used to treat disorders of the bowel and kidney and as a topical anesthetic and expectorant in folk medicine. This study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of the hydroalcoholic extract (HEPs), CH2Cl2 fraction and the steroid α-spinasterol obtained from the aerial parts of Polygala sabulosa in a model of acute inflammation induced by intraperitoneal injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The anti-inflammatory effect of HEPs (3-300 mg/kg, i.g.), CH2Cl2 fraction (0.003-30 mg/kg, i.g.) and steroid α-spinasterol (0.001-1mg/kg, i.p. or 1-10mg/kg, i.g.), were evaluated in mice subjected to the acute inflammation caused by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.02 µg/kg). The anti-inflammatory activity of the HEPs, CH2Cl2 fraction and steroid were assessed by determining the total numbers of leukocytes and differential cell counts (neutrophils and mononuclear cells) and levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) or anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in peritoneal fluid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The administration of HEPs (3-300 mg/kg, i.g.) completely inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration (300 mg/kg, i.g.) and it reduced TNF-α (100-300 mg/kg) and IL-1β (100mg/kg) levels in LPS-injected mice. Furthermore, the administration of CH2Cl2 fraction (0.003-30 mg/kg, i.g.) or α-spinasterol (0.001-10mg/kg, by i.p. or i.g.) significantly reduces inflammatory cell infiltration in LPS-injected mice. Moreover, dexamethasone (0.5mg/kg, i.p., used as a positive control) inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in LPS-injected mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, these results provide the first experimental evidence demonstrating that HEPs have significant anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced inflammation. These effects appear to be, at least in part, due to the presence of α-spinasterol. These findings support the widespread use of Polygala sabulosa in popular medicine and demonstrate that this plant has therapeutic potential for the development of phytomedicines with anti-inflammatory properties.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Dor e Inflamação, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fabio R M
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Dor e Inflamação, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Morgana D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Dor e Inflamação, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marina M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Córdova
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Físicas e Matemáticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-970, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Tiago R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Schambach
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Físicas e Matemáticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-970, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Moacir G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pizzolatti
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Dor e Inflamação, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brasil. Electronic address: adair.santos@ufsc.br.
authors.forename: Adair R S
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031801:Polygala / Q000737:chemistry*; D013265:Stigmasterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; C031312:spinasterol; D000431:Ethanol; D008752:Methylene Chloride; D013265:Stigmasterol
keywords: Cytokines; Inflammation; Lipopolysaccharide; Polygala sabulosa; Polygalaceae; α-spinasterol