Punica granatum L. Leaf Extract Attenuates Lung Inflammation in Mice with Acute Lung Injury

Pinheiro, Aruanã Joaquim Matheus Costa Rodrigues; Gonçalves, Jaciara Sá; Dourado, Ádylla Wilenna Alves; de Sousa, Eduardo Martins; Brito, Natilene Mesquita; Silva, Lanna Karinny; Batista, Marisa Cristina Aranha; de Sá, Joicy Cortez; Monteiro, Cinara Regina Aragão Vieira; Fernandes, Elizabeth Soares; Monteiro-Neto, Valério; Campbell, Lee Ann; Zago, Patrícia Maria Wiziack; Lima-Neto, Lidio Gonçalves

The inflammatory infiltrate observed in ALI results from intense and persistent inflammation. Initially, the inflammation is provoked by lung-resident macrophages that activate intracellular mediators after interacting with pathogen-associated molecular patterns, such as LPS. It was not observed that increased migration of monocytederived macrophages to the lung suggested that 4 hours is not enough for its migration. Large amounts of cytokines were primarily produced and released by lungresident macrophages in response to LPS [16] . Therefore, to further evaluate the effects of the EAFPg on lung inflammation, we measured the inflammatory markers TNF-α, IL1-β, and IL-6. We found that the pretreatment with EAFPg reduces the gene expression of these mediators in the lung tissue. TNF-α protein levels were also attenuated in the same mice. Additionally, cytokine mRNA expression was potently attenuated in LPS-stimulated macrophages treated with EAFPg or kaempferol. It was previously demonstrated that the hydroalcoholic extract from pomegranate leaves reduces TNF-α mRNA expression in peritoneal leukocytes obtained from rats with LPS-induced peritonitis [8] .