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Anti-inflammatory properties of Doxycycline and Minocycline in experimental models: an in vivo and in vitro comparative study

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Abstract

Aims and methods

Minocycline (Mino) and doxycycline (Dox) are second generation tetracyclines known to present several other effects, which are independent from their antimicrobial activities. We studied in a comparative way the anti-inflammatory effects of Mino and Dox, on acute models of peripheral inflammation in rodents (formalin test and peritonitis in mice, and carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats). Immunohistochemical assays for TNF-alpha and iNOS in rat paws of carrageenan-induced oedema were also carried out as well as in vitro assays for myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Furthermore, antioxidant activities were evaluated by the DPPH assay.

Results

In the formalin test although Mino and Dox (1, 5, 10 and 25 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited the first phase, they acted predominantly on the second phase of the test, where inhibition of the licking time close to 80% were observed. Mino and Dox were very efficacious in reducing the carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) and carrageenan-induced leucocyte migration (1 and 5 mg/kg, i.p.) to mice peritoneal cavities. Besides, they also significantly inhibited MPO and LDH releases at doses ranging from 0.001 to 1 μg/ml. Thus, in general, the anti-inflammatory activity of Dox was higher as compared to that of Mino, although the radical scavenging activity of Mino was of a magnitude 10 times higher.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, involve the inhibition of iNOS and TNF-alpha, among other properties, and these encourage clinical studies of these compounds for new therapeutic applications, especially those were inflammation plays a role.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq) for the financial support, to the technical assistance of Ivna Ângela Fernandes and Xênia Maria S. Serra, and to Professor M. O. L. Viana for the manuscript orthographic revision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine of Juazeiro de Norte, Av. Tenente Raimundo Rocha s/n, Juazeiro do Norte, 63.040-360, CE, Brazil

    Liz M. Leite, Antônio Germano G. Carvalho, Pollyanna L. F. Tavares Ferreira, Igor Xavier Pessoa, Gerly Anne Brito & Glauce S. B. Viana

  2. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Rua Cel. Nunes de Melo, 1127, Fortaleza, 60.430-270, Brazil

    Danilo O. Gonçalves, Amanda de Araújo Lopes, Jean Guilherme dos Santos Góes, Victor Costa de Castro Alves, Luzia Kalyne A. M. Leal, Gerly Anne Brito & Glauce S. B. Viana

  3. Rua Barbosa de Freitas, 130 Apt. 1100, CEP 60170-020, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Glauce S. B. Viana

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  1. Liz M. Leite
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  2. Antônio Germano G. Carvalho
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Correspondence to Glauce S. B. Viana.

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Leite, L.M., Carvalho, A.G.G., Tavares Ferreira, P.L.F. et al. Anti-inflammatory properties of Doxycycline and Minocycline in experimental models: an in vivo and in vitro comparative study. Inflammopharmacol 19, 99–110 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-011-0077-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-011-0077-5

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