curcumin and Klebsiella-Infections

Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the herb Curcuma longa, has number of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-carcinogenic activities. Its anti-inflammatory property was here studied alone and in combination with clarithromycin in a mouse model of acute inflammation.. A total of 80 mice divided into four groups were used. Mice receiving curcumin and/or clarithromycin were fed orally with curcumin (150 mg/kg/day) for 15 days prior to infection, whereas clarithromycin was administered orally (30 mg/kg/day) 12 hours post infection. Simultaneously, the control group receiving only infection but no treatment was also set up. Bacterial load estimation, histopathological examination and analysis of inflammatory parameters was performed on various days for all groups.. Intranasal inoculation of bacteria resulted in significant increase in neutrophil infiltration along with increased production of various inflammatory mediators (malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, TNFα) in lung tissue. Clarithromycin treatment significantly decreased the bacterial load and other inflammatory components in infected mice, but animals receiving curcumin alone or in combination with clarithromycin showed a much more significant (p < 0.05) reduction in neutrophil influx along with reduced levels of various inflammatory parameters. Though treatment with curcumin did not reduce the bacterial load, in combination with clarithromycin, both bacterial proliferation and lung tissue damage were checked.. Though clarithromycin, because of its associated side effects, may not be the preferred treatment, it can be used in conjunction with curcumin. The latter as an adjunct therapy will help to down regulate the exaggerated state of immune response during acute lung infection.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Clarithromycin; Curcumin; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Klebsiella Infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Male; Malondialdehyde; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nitric Oxide; Peroxidase; Pneumonia; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Acute lung injuries due to acute lung infections remain a major cause of mortality. Thus a combination of an antibiotic and a compound with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities can help to overcome acute lung infection-induced injuries. Curcumin derived from the rhizome of turmeric has been used for decades and it exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, immunomodulatory properties by downregulation of various inflammatory mediators. Keeping these properties in mind, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin in a mouse model of acute inflammation by introducing Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 into BALB/c mice via the intranasal route. Intranasal instillation of bacteria in this mouse model of acute pneumonia-induced inflammation resulted in a significant increase in neutrophil infiltration in the lungs along with increased production of various inflammatory mediators [i.e. malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha] in the lung tissue. The animals that received curcumin alone orally or in combination with augmentin, 15 days prior to bacterial instillation into the lungs via the intranasal route, showed a significant (P <0.05) decrease in neutrophil influx into the lungs and a significant (P <0.05) decrease in the production of MDA, NO, MPO activity and TNF-alpha levels. Augmentin treatment alone did not decrease the MDA, MPO, NO and TNF-alpha levels significantly (P >0.05) as compared to the control group. We therefore conclude that curcumin ameliorates lung inflammation induced by K. pneumoniae B5055 without significantly (P <0.05) decreasing the bacterial load in the lung tissue whereas augmentin takes care of bacterial proliferation. Hence, curcumin can be used as an adjunct therapy along with antibiotics as an anti-inflammatory or an immunomodulatory agent in the case of acute lung infection.

Topics: Acute Lung Injury; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Animals; Curcumin; Drug Therapy, Combination; Klebsiella Infections; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Lung; Malondialdehyde; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Neutrophil Infiltration; Nitric Oxide; Peroxidase; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha