Jungia sellowii suppresses the carrageenan-induced inflammatory response in the mouse model of pleurisy.

This study was conducted to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of Jungia sellowii (Asteraceae) using a murine model of pleurisy induced by carrageenan (Cg). This plant is used in southern Brazil to treat inflammatory diseases. J. sellowii leaves were extracted with ethanol/water to obtain the crude extract (CE), which was fractionated with different solvents, yielding n-hexane (Hex), dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and n-butanol (BuOH) fractions, and aqueous fraction (Aq). The major compounds succinic acid (SA) and lactic acid (LA) were isolated from Aq fraction, and their structures were determined by (1)H and (13)C NMR. Pleurisy was induced by Cg (Saleh et al. 1996). The leukocytes, exudation, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and adenosine-deaminase (ADA) activities, metabolites of nitric oxide (NO x ) levels, protein levels and mRNA expression for interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 17A (IL17A) and inducible of nitric oxide synthase (iNOs), and p65 protein phosphorylation (NF-κB) were analysed 4 h after pleurisy induction. Animals pre-treated with CE, BuOH, Aq, SA, or LA inhibited leukocytes, exudation, MPO and ADA activities, NO x , IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-17A levels, and the mRNA expression for IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-17A, iNOS, and p65 protein phosphorylation (NF-κB) (p < 0.05). Our study demonstrated that J. sellowii can protect against inflammation induced by Cg by decreasing the leukocytes and exudation. Its effects are related to the decrease of either proinflammatory cytokines and/or NO x . The isolated compounds SA and LA may play an important role in this anti-inflammatory action by inhibiting all the studied parameters. The anti-inflammatory properties of these compounds are due to the downregulation of NF-κB.