Symphytum asperrimum as anti-septic treatment improves survival in lethal sepsis induced in mice

Bajpai Dinesh^1*, Eqbal Shahbaz², Namdev  Ashish³ , Singh Himmat³,  Pandey Satyam¹

Torrent Research Centre, Gandhi nagar , Gujarat, India. 382424 

ABSTRACT

The leaves and fruits of plant Symphytum asperrimum SA. (Boraginaceae) in Brazil/ India have been used by native people to treat infectious diseases, diabetes & stomachache. Since the bactericidal activity of Symphytum asperrimum has been confirmed in vitro, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the prophylactic treatment with Symphytum asperrimum in vivo polymicrobial infection induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in mice. C57Bl/6 mice were treated by the subcutaneous route with a hydro alcoholic crude extract (HCE) from fresh leaves of Symphytum asperrimum . After 6 h, a bacterial infection was induced in the peritoneum using the lethal CLP model. The prophylactic HCE treatment increased the mice survival, the neutrophil migration to infectious site, the spreading ability and the hydrogen peroxide release, but decreased the serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and nitrite. The HCE treatment induced a significant decrease on the bone marrow cells number but did not alter the cell number of the spleen and lymph node. We conclude that the treatment with Symphytum asperrimum has a potent prophylactic anti-septic effect that is not associated to a direct microbicidal effect but it is associated to a recruitment of activated neutrophils to the infectious site.

Keywords: sepsis, tumor necrosis factor, cecal ligation and puncture