Vet Med - Czech, 2024, 69(1):8-17 | DOI: 10.17221/77/2023-VETMED

The effects of Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract on pulmonary inflammation by Asian sand dust in miceOriginal Paper

SW Pak¹, SJ Lee¹, Kim WI¹, YG Yang¹, YK Cho², JS Kim¹, TW Kim³, JW Ko³, JC Kim¹, SH Kim⁴, IS Shin¹

¹ College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 FOUR Program, Chonnam National University, Buk-gu, Gwangju, Republic of Korea

² College of Health Sciences, Cheongju University, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea

³ BK21 FOUR Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea

⁴ Jeonbuk Branch, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT), Jeongeup-si, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea

Asian sand dust (ASD), also called China dust or yellow dust, mainly occurs in East Asia during spring and autumn. Because ASD enters the body mainly through the respiratory system, it can cause respiratory disorders or worsen underlying diseases. Because of this, it has become an important health concern that threatens the well-being of humans and animals. In this study, we investigated the effects of 15 and 30 mg/kg of Pycnogenol (PYC15 and 30 groups), a pine bark extract, on ASD-induced pulmonary inflammation in mice. We evaluated the inflammatory cell counts, inflammatory cytokines, and matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression in animal models. PYC administration significantly decreased inflammatory cell infiltration into lung tissue; this was accompanied by a reduction in the levels of proinflammatory mediators including interleukin (IL)-1β (P < 0.01), IL-6 (P < 0.01) and tumour necrosis factor-α (P < 0.01) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of ASD-exposed mice (ASD group). Histological analysis revealed that PYC suppressed ASD-induced pulmonary inflammation. Moreover, PYC suppressed the levels of matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 in the lung tissue of ASD-exposed mice, indicating that PYC reduced ASD-induced pulmonary inflammation by suppressing MMP-9. Together, these results indicate that PYC as the potential to treat ASD-driven pulmonary inflammation.

Keywords: airway inflammation; fine dust; MMP-9; Pinus pinaster Aiton

Received: July 13, 2023; Revised: December 1, 2023; Accepted: December 5, 2023; Prepublished online: January 24, 2024; Published: January 25, 2024  Show citation