Suppressive effects of lotus plumule (Nelumbo nucifera Geartn.) supplementation on LPS-induced systemic inflammation in a BALB/c mouse model

Abstract

To determine the prophylactic effects of lotus plumule (Nelumbo nucifera Geartn.) supplementation in vivo on acute systemic inflammation, the mediators secreted in serum and by cultured peritoneal macrophages from the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged mice were measured. The female BALB/c mice were continuously supplemented with lotus plumule for 3 weeks and then administrated with an intra-peritoneal (i.p.) LPS injection at a concentration of 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) to induce acute systemic inflammation. After 24 hours of LPS injection, the mice were sacrificed to determine the inflammatory mediators. The results showed that high dose supplementation (20 mg/day/mouse) with lotus plumule significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the proinflammatory cytokine of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) level in the serum of LPS-challenged mice. Simultaneously, supplementation with lotus plumule significantly increased the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 produced by peritoneal macrophages from LPS-challenged mice. The results indicated that lotus plumule supplementation significantly inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha and increased that of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. It can be concluded that lotus plumule supplementation before systemic inflammation attenuates the acute inflammation status in vivo.