title: Anti-inflammatory effect of Heliotropium indicum Linn on lipopolysaccharide-induced uveitis in New Zealand white rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of an aqueous whole plant extract of Heliotropium indicum (HIE) on endotoxin-induced uveitis in New Zealand white rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical signs of uveitis including flares, iris hyperemia and miosis, were sought for and scored in 1.0 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced uveitic rabbits treated orally with HIE (30-300 mg/kg), prednisolone (30 mg/kg), or normal saline (10 mL/kg). The number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils infiltrating, the protein concentration, as well as levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and monocyte chemmoattrant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the aqueous humor after the various treatments were also determined. A histopathological study of the anterior uveal was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The extract and prednisolone-treatment significantly reduced (P≤0.001) both the clinical scores of inflammation (1.0-1.8 compared to 4.40±0.40 in the normal saline-treated rabbits) and inflammatory cells infiltration. The level of protein, and the concentrations of TNF-α, PGE2 and MCP-1 in the aqueous humor were also significantly reduced (P≤0.001). Histopathological studies showed normal uveal morphology in the HIE and prednisolone-treated rabbits while normal saline-treated rabbits showed marked infiltration of inflammatory cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HIE exhibits anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-induced uveitis possibly by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa; Department of Optometry, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, PMB, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyei
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: George Asumeng
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Koffuor
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramkissoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, PMB, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Elvis Ofori
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Ameyaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, P. O Box 1934, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Emmanuel Akomanin
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Asiamah
keywords: heliotropium; iris hyperemia; monocyte chemotatic protein-1; polymorphonuclear neutrophil; prednisolone; prostaglandin E2; tumor necrosis factor-α; uveitis