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

Deposition into the Lungs of Mice with ALI. Figures 2 and 3 show the effects of EAFPg (30-300 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (5 mg/kg) on the lung tissue of mice with LPS-induced ALI. Animals with ALI exhibited an intense inflammatory cell influx surrounding the bronchi (Figure 2(b) ). The same mice also presented multifocal areas of collagen deposition (Figure 3(b) ) in comparison with those which received i.n. saline (Figure 3(a) ). LPS-induced pathological changes were not affected by the pretreatment with EAFPg at 30 mg/kg. On the other hand, pretreatment with EAFPg at 100-300 mg/kg markedly reduced the collagen deposition with leukocyte infiltration, with respect to LPS mice treated with vehicle (Figures 2(d) , 2(e), 3(d), and 3(e)). Animals pretreated with dexamethasone also displayed attenuated lung inflammation (Figures 2(f) and 3(f) ). In addition, EAFPg (100-300 mg/kg) and dexamethasone markedly diminished the numbers of leukocytes in the bronchial area (12.0 ± 1.0, 13.0 ± 1.0, and 10.3 ± 1.5 leukocytes/130 μm 2 , resp.) (Figure 2(g) ) and in the alveolar parenchyma area (109.7 ± 4.7, 66.3 ± 2.5, and 41.3 ± 1.5 leukocytes/130 μm 2 , resp.) when compared with those of the vehicle-treated ALI mice (83.3 ± 1.5 leukocytes/130 μm 2 and 384.3 ± 3.5 leukocytes/130 μm 2 ). Moreover, EAFPg (100-300 mg/kg) and dexamethasone markedly reduced the bronchial (7.5% ± 0.6%, 7.0% ± 0.1%, and 6.7% ± 0.3%, resp.; Figure 2 (g)) and the alveolar parenchyma collagen deposition (3.7% ± 0.5%, 3.3% ± 0.7%, and 2.2% ± 0.2%, resp.) when compared with that of the ALI control group (33.3% ± 10.8% and 11.9% ± 2.7%, resp.).