Inhibitory activity of Sargassum hemiphyllum sulfated polysaccharide in arachidonic acid-induced animal models of inflammation

Pai-An Hwang, Yu-Lan Hung, Shih-Yung Chien

Sargassum hemiphyllum is a common plant found on the coasts of Taiwan; it has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in traditional herbal medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of S. hemiphyllum sulfated polysaccharide (SHSP) using two different mouse models. In both arachidonic acid-induced ear inflammatory gavage and paint models, SHSP decreased ear swelling and erythema. In addition, SHSP decreased the production of myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in a dose-dependent manner. Histological examination results showed that SHSP reduced the area of neutrophilic infiltration in inflamed ears. The anti-inflammatory activity of SHSP has already been demonstrated in vitro. In this study, SHSP extracted from the same species of brown seaweed exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in both oral and topical applications in vivo. Therefore, SHSP may play a role in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Keywords: animal model; anti-inflammation; cytokines; myeloperoxidase; Sargassum hemiphyllum

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Volume 23, Issue 1, March 2015, Pages 49-56, ISSN 1021-9498, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2014.05.004. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1021949814000933)