Brazilian flora, especially in the Brazilian coastal rain forest, remains poorly studied regarding its chemical and pharmacological potential. A recent study published by our group indicates that Nidularium procerum, the most common representative of the bromeliaceae family, has potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.1) Bromeliaceae, one of the largest botanical families of the New World, is extensively distributed in tropical America.2) This family comprises 46 genera encompassing about 2500 species from which 20 genera and 245 species are found in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian coastal rain forest is the preferred habitat of Bromeliaceae (81.8%) where the greatest genetic diversity and the highest degree of endemism is found.3) Species of Nidularium are well spread in the coastal rain forest from Bahia State, in the northeast region of Brazil, to Rio Grande do Sul State in the south.
4)Our previous results indicate that N. procerum extracts have strong analgesic activity, which is not associated with the activation of opioid receptors, but is mechanistically due to a selective inhibition of PGE 2 production.1) In addition, we showed that the aqueous extract of N. procerum leaves (LAE) inhibited LPS-induced neutrophil accumulation in the mouse pleural cavity, but the molecular mechanism for this anti-inflammatory effect was not investigated.1) Here, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of N. procerum aqueous extract on the LPS-induced pleurisy model. We showed that in addition to LPS-induced neutrophil influx, N. procerum also inhibited LPS-driven in vivo neutrophil activation (as attested by inhibition of lipid body formation) and PAF-and fMLP-induced pleural neutrophilia. The mechanisms involved in N. procerum-mediated inhibition of neutrophil recruitment appear to involve decreased production of key inflammatory mediators of LPSdriven response, such as PGE 2 and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and IL-6), and an impaired locomotory activity of migrating neutrophils.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant MaterialNidularium procerum LINDMAN was collected at the National Biological Reserve of Poço das Antas, Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Identification of the botanical material was made by Dr. Tânia Wendt and Dr. Elton Leme and a voucher has been deposited at the Herbarium of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, under the number 304732.Preparation of Plant Extracts The aqueous extract of leaves (LAE) (22 g) was obtained by infusing dried leaves (500 g) into 2.5 l of boiling distilled water until the water cooled down to room temperature, followed by filtration and lyophilization as previously described.
1)Animals Male Swiss mice (obtained from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation breeding unit) weighing 20-30 g, were used. The animals were maintained with free access to food and water and kept at 25-28°C with controlled 12 h light/dark cycle at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacodynamics. The experiments in this study received prior approval from the Oswal...