Protective effects of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) leaf extract against cigarette smoke- and lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary inflammation

Lee,Jae-Won; Ryu,Hyung  Won; Park,So-Yeon; Park,Hyun  Ah; Kwon,Ok-Kyoung; Yuk,Heung  Joo; Shrestha,Krishna  K.; Park,Minwoo; Kim,Jung  Hee; Lee,Sangwoo; Oh,Sei-Ryang; Ahn,Kyung-Seop

doi:10.3892/ijmm.2017.3178

Protective effects of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) leaf extract against cigarette smoke- and lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary inflammation

Authors:
- Jae-Won Lee
- Hyung Won Ryu
- So-Yeon Park
- Hyun Ah Park
- Ok-Kyoung Kwon
- Heung Joo Yuk
- Krishna K. Shrestha
- Minwoo Park
- Jung Hee Kim
- Sangwoo Lee
- Sei-Ryang Oh
- Kyung-Seop Ahn
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Affiliations: Natural Medicine Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungju‑si, Chungbuk 363‑883, Republic of Korea, Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal (ESON), Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu 44618, Nepal, SciTech Korea, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul 142-705, Republic of Korea, International Biological Material Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
Published online on: October 10, 2017 https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2017.3178
Pages: 1932-1940

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Abstract

Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) leaf has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of neem leaf extract (NLE) against cigarette smoke (CS)- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pulmonary inflammation. Treatment with NLE significantly attenuated the infiltration of inflammatory cells, such as neutrophils and macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). NLE also reduced the production of reactive oxygen species and the activity of neutrophil elastase in BALF. Moreover, NLE attenuated the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 in BALF. NLE inhibited the recruitment of inflammatory cells and the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the lungs of mice with CS- and LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation. NLE also decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the lungs of the mice CS- and LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation. Furthermore, treatment with NLE significantly attenuated the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the lungs mice exposed to CS and LPS. NLE also inhibited the phosphorylation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB) in the lungs of mice expose to CS and LPS. These findings thus suggest that NLE has potential for use in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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