title: Effects of Ecballium Elaterium on Proinflammatory Cytokines in a Rat Model of Sepsis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ecballium elaterium (EE) is a plant from Cucurbitaceae family. Its anti-inflammatory role in sepsis is not well understood. We investigated the effects of EE on serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines and further explored the mechanisms underlying histological changes in liver and ileum following EE administration in a polymicrobial sepsis model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty rats were divided into three groups of 10 rats each. Rats were subjected to sham laparotomy plus normal saline administration (control group, CG), laparotomy with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) (sepsis group, SG), and laparotomy with CLP plus 2.5 mg/kg EE administration (experimental group, EG). Twenty-four hours after laparotomy, animals underwent cardiac puncture, and blood was collected for interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) assessment. Whole sections of liver and ileum tissues were collected for histologic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum level of IL-6 was significantly lower in EG as compared to SG. Although IL-6 levels were shown a statistically significant (p < 0.0001) decline to near control values, no significant changes were observed in serum levels of IL-1 and TNF-α after EE treatment. Histologic examination revealed statistically significant reduction in collagen formation (p = 0.001) on serosal surface of ileum and hepatic venous congestion (p = 0.040) in EG as compared to SG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EE might play a protective role in sepsis prevention and treatment by decreasing IL-6 production and reducing liver damage and may influence bacterial translocation by reinforcing intestinal barrier function.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , University of Dicle , Diyarbakir , Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Serif
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , University of Dicle , Diyarbakir , Turkey.
authors.forename: Erol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Basuguy
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pathology , University of Dicle , Diyarbakir , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ibiloglu
authors.affiliation: c Department of Cellular and Structural Biology , University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio , San Antonio , Texas , United States.
authors.forename: Eda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bozdemir
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , University of Dicle , Diyarbakir , Turkey.
authors.forename: Hikmet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeytun
authors.affiliation: d Department of Thoracic Surgery , Dicle University Hospital , Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Atalay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: e Department of Biochemistry , Dicle University Hospital , Diyarbakır , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , University of Dicle , Diyarbakir , Turkey.
authors.forename: Bahattin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aydogdu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Surgery , University of Dicle , Diyarbakir , Turkey.
authors.forename: Selcuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Otcu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019662:Cucurbitaceae; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: cecal ligation and puncture; cytokines; ecballium elaterium; ileum; liver; sepsis