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Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. on experimental opisthorchiasis

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Abstract

Thunbergia laurifolia Linn (Rang Chuet) possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as anticancer activities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of T. laurifolia in reducing inflammation from pathological changes in Syrian hamsters infected with the human liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini. Hamster groups were also administered N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and treated with T. laurifolia. Light microscopic observation of histopathological changes, liver function tests for alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and kidney function tests for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were performed. Antioxidant effects of both fresh and dried Rang Chuet solutions were observed. Analysis of the histopathological changes showed anti-inflammatory properties, both in the case of O. viverrini infection or with NDMA administration, by reducing the aggregation of inflammatory cells surrounding the hepatic bile ducts as indicated by normal serum ALT, ALP, BUN and creatinine levels in treated Syrian hamsters. The present study found that fresh and dried Rang Chuet solutions clearly reduced the inflammatory cells in both O. viverrini-infected and NDMA-administered groups and was correlated with the total antioxidant capacity. These findings suggest that T. laurifolia possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and that its application may be useful for prevention of the inflammatory process, one of the risk factors of O. viverrini-associated cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Thailand research fund through RMU5480002, Khon Kaen University (KKU55) and the Royal Golden Jubilee-Ph.D. program (Grant No. PHD/0280/2552) to Miss. Orasa Wonkchalee and Associate Professor Thidarut Boonmars. We thank the Department of Parasitology, Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, the Animal Experimental Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Orasa Wonkchalee, Thidarut Boonmars, Porntip Laummaunwai, Pranee Sriraj, Ratchadawan Aukkanimart, Amornrat Juasook & Pakkayanee Sudsarn

  2. Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Orasa Wonkchalee, Thidarut Boonmars, Kulthida Vaeteewoottacharn, Pranee Sriraj, Ratchadawan Aukkanimart, Amornrat Juasook & Pakkayanee Sudsarn

  3. Faculty of Pharmacology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Chantana Aromdee & Watcharee Khunkitti

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Kulthida Vaeteewoottacharn & Watchalin Loilome

  5. Department of Parasitology, Gifu University Medicine, Graduate School, Gifu, 5011194, Japan

    Zhiliang Wu

  6. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Yaovaluk Chamgramol & Chawalit Pairojkul

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  1. Orasa Wonkchalee
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  2. Thidarut Boonmars
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  3. Chantana Aromdee
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  9. Watchalin Loilome
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Correspondence to Thidarut Boonmars.

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Wonkchalee, O., Boonmars, T., Aromdee, C. et al. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. on experimental opisthorchiasis. Parasitol Res 111, 353–359 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2846-5

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