Abstract
Boswellia dalzielii is a tall tree (more than 13 m high) that produces aromatic white flowers. This plant is commonly used in indigenous medicine across Africa against diarrhea, malaria, vomiting, inflammation and arthritis. The present study focuses on the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritis potential of methanol extract of Boswellia dalzielii (BDME). Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in inflammatory models induced by carrageenan, arachidonic acid, histamine, serotonin, prostaglandin and bradykinin. Anti-arthritis activity was measured using complete Freund’s adjuvant model. Intracellular and extracellular ROS production and proliferation of T-cells were evaluated using chemiluminescence and liquid scintillation counter techniques, respectively. TNF-α and IL-1β production were assessed using ELISA and MTT assay performed for cytotoxicity. BDME revealed a significant anti-inflammatory effect by preventing the development of edema caused by carrageenan, arachidonic acid, histamine, serotonin, prostaglandin and bradykinin. For anti-arthritic properties of BDME, the results showed a significant reduction of the joint diameter and a decrease in pain in the treated animals. The extract also showed a noticeable systemic effect, maintaining the values of the evaluated parameters close to normal in treated rats with an inhibition of joint destruction as shown in histopathological analysis. Furthermore, BDME exhibited significant inhibition of extracellular and intracellular ROS production. Still, the extract displayed significant inhibitory activity on T-cell proliferation as well as a reduced production of TNF-α and IL-1β. Boswellia dalzielii could be considered as a promising tract in the prevention and/or management of inflammatory diseases.
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Abbreviations
- AA:
-
Arachidonic acid
- ALP:
-
Alkaline phosphatase
- ALT:
-
Alanine aminotransferase
- ANOVA:
-
One-way analysis of variance
- AST:
-
Aspartate aminotransferase
- CFA:
-
Complete Freund’s adjuvant
- CRP:
-
C-reactive protein
- DMEM:
-
Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s medium
- DMSO:
-
Dimethylsulfoxide
- ELISA:
-
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- FBS:
-
Fetal bovine serum
- H & E:
-
Hematoxylin and eosin
- Hb:
-
Hemoglobin
- HBSS:
-
Hanks balance salts solution
- HEPES:
-
4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid
- IL:
-
Interleukin
- LPS:
-
Lipopolysaccharide
- LSM:
-
Lymphocytes separation medium
- MAPK:
-
Mitogen-activated protein kinases
- MTT:
-
3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide
- NF-κB:
-
Nuclear factor-kappa B
- PBMNCs:
-
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell
- PCMD:
-
Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research
- PGE2 :
-
Prostaglandins E2
- PHA:
-
Phytohemagglutinin
- PLT:
-
Platelets
- PMA:
-
Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate
- PMNs:
-
Polymorphonuclear neutrophils
- NMRI:
-
Naval Medical Research Institute
- RA:
-
Rheumatoid arthritis
- RANKL:
-
Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand
- RBC:
-
Red blood cell
- RF:
-
Rheumatoid factor
- RLU:
-
Relative light units
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- RPMI:
-
Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium
- RT:
-
Room temperature
- SEM:
-
Standard error of mean
- TNF-α:
-
Tumor necrosis factor-α
- WBC:
-
White blood cell
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the study participants; the staff of diagnostic laboratory of Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, University of Karachi, Pakistan, for blood samples collection and biochemical analysis. The authors wish to express their gratitude to TWAS (Academy of Science of Developing Countries) and ICCBS (International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences) staff member. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Martin Lekeufack who was involved in the drafting and critical revision of this manuscript.
Funding
This manuscript research project was supported by the TWAS (Academy of Science of Developing Countries) and ICCBS (International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences), University of Karachi, under the Postdoctoral Fellowship Award to Mbiantcha Marius (RF no: 3240280477).
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MM, AJ and SUS designed the work. MM, AJ, AG and ND conducted the work, collected and analyzed the data. MM, AAD, BTFD and YNW drafted the manuscript and revised it critically. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
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For this study, the animal facility of H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan were used. Experiments were executed under the ethical guidelines of the International Association for the Study of Pain in Conscious Animals and guidelines set by for the scientific advisory committee, animal care, use and standards, ICCBS were followed (Protocol No. 1209004). For the donation of human blood samples, all processes of collecting blood were accepted by independent ethics committee, ICCBS, University of Karachi, no: ICCBS/IEC-008-BC-2015/Protocol/1.0. The blood donors provided informed approval for the use of their blood for the purposes of this study.
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Mbiantcha, M., Almas, J., Atsamo, A.D. et al. Anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of methanol extract of the stem bark of Boswellia dalzielii Hutch (Burseraceae) in rats. Inflammopharmacol 26, 1383–1398 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-018-0505-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-018-0505-x