title: The anti-infective activity of punicalagin against Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar typhimurium in mice.
abstract: Punicalagin, a major bioactive component of pomegranate peel, has been proven to have antioxidant, antiviral, anti-apoptosis, and hepatoprotective properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-infective activity of punicalagin in a mouse model. C57BL/6 mice were initially challenged with Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar typhimurium (S. typhimurium) and then treated with punicalagin. Food and water consumption and body weight were recorded daily. On day 8 post infection, the mice were sacrificed to examine pathogen counts in tissues, hematological parameters, cytokine levels, and histological changes. Compared to mice only infected with S. typhimurium, punicalagin-treated mice had more food consumption and less weight loss. A higher survival rate and lower counts of viable S. typhimurium in feces, liver, spleen, and kidney were found in the punicalagin-treated mice. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay showed that the levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-γ in serum and the spleen and TNF-α in serum, the spleen and the liver were reduced by punicalagin. Moreover, more neutrophils and higher neutrophil-to-mononuclear cell ratios in the punicalagin-treated mice were observed. Histological examination showed that punicalagin protected cells in the liver and spleen from hemorrhagic necrosis. It is concluded that punicalagin has a beneficial effect against S. typhimurium infection in mice. The anti-infective properties, together with other nutritionally beneficial effects, make punicalagin a promising supplement in human food or animal feeds to prevent disease associated with S. typhimurium.
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. foodscixiaodong@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qi'an
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xiujun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Baowei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; C115642:punicalagin