Abstract

Since oxidative stress is an important mediator that lead or maintain inflammatory processes, the aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of Bucida buceras on inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and anti-inflammatory effect and redox biomarkers in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. B. buceras also known as “black-olive“ belongs to the Combretaceae family and it is used as an ornamental evergreen tree in many city streets. This plant is widely distributed in tropical regions of Caribbean, Central America and northern South America. In a continuous effort to find more potent, non-toxic natural product inhibitors that suppress inflammation, the present study was carried out to analyzed the influence of aqueous extract on nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in LPS-induced murine macrophages and paw thickness, NO, C-reactive protein (CPR), organoperoxide, oxidation protein and reducing power antioxidant in paw edema in rats. Results revealed that treatment with B. buceras aqueous extract inhibited not only the protein (albumin) denaturation but also, in LPS-induced inflammatory response, including increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1β) and NO were inhibited by aqueous extract in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, B. buceras suppressed significantly edema in a dose-dependent fashion in inflamed rat paws; decrease the C-reactive protein, lipid peroxidation levels (OT) and oxidation protein product and exerted strong reducing antioxidant power. Thus, these results suggest that antioxidative properties of B. buceras attenuate inflammatory changes and support the application in complementary and alternative medicine.

Key words: Anti-inflammatory, macrophages, paw edema, nitric oxide, cytokines, oxidative stress biomarkers, C-reactive protein, anti-denaturation, Bucida buceras.