article · Journal of Lab Animal Research
This laboratory study evaluated the therapeutic potential of an aqueous seed extract from Aframomum pruinosum in treating lung injury induced by bleomycin in Wistar rats. Animals were administered bleomycin to cause damage and then treated with varying doses of the plant extract, ranging from 100 to 400 mg/kg, or the standard drug indomethacin. Bleomycin exposure reduced body weight, but treatment with the extract or indomethacin reversed this decline. At the highest dose of 400 mg/kg, the extract significantly increased lung weight compared to untreated injured controls. The extract also reduced pro-inflammatory markers, specifically Interleukin 1 beta and tumour necrosis factor alpha, while elevating the anti-inflammatory marker Interleukin 10. Furthermore, the extract counteracted bleomycin-induced oxidative stress by improving superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, and protein levels, protecting lung tissue from oxidative damage.
Lung injuries involving severe inflammation and oxidative damage represent major health challenges with limited treatment options. Demonstrating that an aqueous extract from traditionally used Aframomum pruinosum seeds can regulate inflammatory cytokines and support antioxidant defences in animal models provides scientific grounding for its traditional medicinal use and highlights a potential natural source for lung therapies.
This research could inform the development of plant-derived therapeutic agents or nutraceuticals for managing lung inflammation and oxidative lesions. Potential users include pharmaceutical developers and phytomedicine researchers. Because the findings are based entirely on an early-stage animal trial in rats, the work remains far from real-world clinical application and requires substantial further formulation, safety, and human testing.
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Introduction: Aframomum pruinosum seeds have been widely used in traditional medicine to treat lung infections as a cytoprotective plant-derived medicine. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of A. pruinosum in Wistar rats subjected to bleomycin-induced lung injury. Materials and methods: Bleomycin was administered subcutaneously on the first, second, and third day of the study, and other substances (Indomethacin 2 mg/kg and aqueous extract 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) by oral route through water. Thirty-five Wistar rats (5-week-old) were divided into seven groups of five rats each, normal rats (Group 1) received distilled water (5 mL/kg), and control group of A. pruinosum aqueous extract (Group 2) to observe its adverse effects, received the highest dose of A. pruinosum (400 mg/kg), the negative group (Group 3) received bleomycin 0.3 mg/kg and distilled water 5 mL/kg, positive group (Group 4) received bleomycin 0.3 mg/kg and indomethacin 2 mg/kg, Group 5 received bleomycin 0.3 mg/kg and aqueous extract of A. pruinosum 100 mg/kg, Group 6 received bleomycin 0.3 mg/kg and aqueous extract of A. pruinosum 200mg/kg, and Group 7 received bleomycin 0.3 mg/kg and aqueous extract of A. pruinosum 400 mg/kg. GraphPad Prism 8.0.1.244 was used to compare data. Results: The body weight of rats (group 3) exposed to bleomycin has decreased compared to the normal group. Groups exposed to bleomycin and treated with indomethacin or aqueous extract have increased body weight compared to the negative group. Co-treatment of bleomycin and aqueous extract of A. pruinosum (400 mg/kg) significantly increased lung weight compared to the negative control. Administration of aqueous extract of A. pruinosum (400 mg/kg) significantly decreased the levels of Interleukin 1 beta, TNF-α, Interleukin 1 beta, and increased Interleukin 10 level compared to the negative control. Co-treatment of bleomycin and aqueous extract significantly alleviated the toxic effects of bleomycin in oxidative parameters, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, and protein, compared to the negative control, and protected the rats against oxidative damage. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of A. pruinosum seeds had anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential effects, which might be considered an effective therapeutic against lung lesions.
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DOI: 10.58803/jlar.v4i1.59
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