Putrescine — a potent endogenous anti-inflammatory substance in inflammatory exudates

Abstract

Sponge-induced exudate from the rat and saline extracts of normal rat liver and rat liver damaged in situ by dimethylnitrosamine have been assayed for putrescine, spermidine and spermine levels. The three physiological oligoamines have been examined for anti-inflammatory activity by the carrageenan-induced oedema rat model and spermidine and putrescine were found to be anti-inflammatory with putrescine being about ten times as active as spermidine. Putrescine was also anti-inflammatory in the adjuvant arthritic rat model. Thioacetamide and theophylline were also anti-inflammatory and theophylline doubled the level of putrescine in rat liver. It was concluded that putrescine was a potent anti-inflammatory factor in the inflammatory exudates and extracts examined.

In vitro interactions between endogenous polyamines and superoxide anion

“…In our previous work we found that putrescine and spermidine were antiinflammatory against carrageenan induced oedema in the rat [2]. Of the other polyamines, spermine has been reported to have antiinflammatory action [3] although we did not find this against carageenan oedema in our laboratory.…”

“…However, human granulocyte levels are far higher [l l] putrescine 468+_244/109 cells, spermine 548 _+ 183/109 cells and spermidine 241 +_ 156 n moles/109 cells. An additional factor that may be relevant is that during inflammation polyamine levels are increased in inflammatory exudates [1,2] and it is known that stimulated macrophages and T-lymphocytes show sharply induced ornithine decarboxylase activity [12,13]. Oxygen-induced lung injury in rats significantly increases ODC, putrescine, spermidine and spermine levels and inhibition of this elevation by DFMO adversely affects repair [14].…”

“…Subsequently putrescine and spermidine were found to be anti-inflammatory when tested against carrageenan induced inflammation in the rat and putrescine was also anti-inflammatory against adjuvant induced arthritis in the rat [2]. The anti-inflammatory action of polyamines was also reported by OYANAGUI [3] who found that putrescine, spermidine and spermine inhibited serotonin induced paw oedema in mice and carrageenan paw oedema in rats.…”

Antioxidant effects of exogenous polyamines in damage of lysosomes inflicted by xanthine oxidase or stimulated polymorphonuclear leucocytes

“…In the present study polyamines have been shown to exhibit possible anti-inflammatory effects at least in part through their ability to act as scavenging agents. Polyamine levels in normal tissues are extremely low but since the concentrations of these substances increase in inflamed tissues [11] the protective effect of polyamines on lysosomes may be a significant endogenous anti-inflammatory mechanism since lysosomal enzymes are involved in the degenerative stages of the disease.…”

“…Lysosomal enzymes have also been associated with tissue destruction of inflammatory joint disease such as rheumatoid arthritis [10]. In this report we examine the effect of oxygen species and of polyamines on lysosomes since it is possible that oxygen mediated damage to lysosomes and protection by polyamines may have relevance to inflammatory disease especially since polyamines have been shown to accumulate in inflammatory exudates [11].…”