Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 2019-Jan
Anti-inflammatory activity of rhein isolated from the flowers of Cassia fistula L. and possible underlying mechanisms.
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Keywords
Abstract
Methods
Rhein was isolated from Cassia fistula L. flowers collected in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Its anti-inflammatory activity was then investigated in Wistar rats and mice using carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema, croton oil-induced ear oedema, cotton pellet-induced granuloma and acetic acid-induced vascular permeability models.Results
Administration of rhein (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats and croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice in dose-dependent manners. Continual administration of rhein to rats using implanted cotton pellets significantly (p < 0.05) reduced granuloma formation (20 mg/kg: 17.24%; 40 mg/kg: 36.12%) compared to control group animals. Administration of rhein increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) and decreased the levels of nitrite, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) compared to control animals. Western blotting results revealed that rhein diminished carrageenan-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and increased heme oxygenase (HO)-1, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR)-γ and heat shock protein (HSP)-72 expression after 6 h in the paw oedema model.