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Anti-inflammatory activity of a lipid fraction (lyprinol) from the NZ green-lipped mussel

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Abstract

A lipid-rich extract, preparared by supercritical fluid extraction of fresh stabilized mussel powder (Lyprinol), showed significant anti-inflammatory (AI) activity given therapeutically and prophylactically po to Wistar and Dark Agouti rats developing either (a) adjuvant-induced polyarthritis or (b) collagen(II)-induced autoallergic arthritis, with ED50≤15 mg/kg; c.f. naproxen≥25 mg/kg or various therapeutic oils (flaxseed, evening primrose, fish)≥1800 mg/kg given orally. Lyprinol showed little or no activity in acute irritation assays (carrageenan, kaolin, histamine) indicating it is not mimicking rapid-acting NSAIDs.

Incorporating Lyprinol into arthritigenic adjuvants composed of heat-killed Mycobacterium. tuberculosis suspended in olive oil or squalane, effectively prevented arthritis development at a dose of 5 mg/rat. By contrast, ‘dummy adjuvants’ prepared with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and flaxseed, evening primrose or fish oils were still arthritigenic in Dark Agouti rats (doses of oil=90 mg/rat).

Lyprinol subfractions inhibited leukotriene-B4 biosynthesis by stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro, and prostaglandin-E2 production by activated human macrophages in vitro. Much of this AI activity was associated with polyunsaturated fatty acids and natural antoxidants (carotenoids, etc.).

In contrast to NSAIDs, Lyprinol is non-gastrotoxic in disease-stressed rats at 300 mg/kg po and does not seem to affect platelet aggregation (human, rat). These data show Lyprinol to be a reproducible, relatively stable, source of bioactive lipids with much greater potency than plant/marine oils currently used as nutritional supplements to ameliorate signs of inflammation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, 4102, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    M. W. Whitehouse

  2. Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 3000, Victoria, Australia

    T. A. Macrides & N. Kalafatis

  3. Rheumatology Unit, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 5011, Woodville, South Australia, Australia

    W. H. Betts

  4. Department of Pathology, University of Adelaide, 5005, South Australia, Australia

    D. R. Haynes

  5. McFarlane Laboratories, 3127, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia

    J. Broadbent

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  1. M. W. Whitehouse
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  2. T. A. Macrides
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  3. N. Kalafatis
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  4. W. H. Betts
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  5. D. R. Haynes
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  6. J. Broadbent
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Whitehouse, M.W., Macrides, T.A., Kalafatis, N. et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of a lipid fraction (lyprinol) from the NZ green-lipped mussel. Inflammopharmacol 5, 237–246 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-997-0002-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-997-0002-0

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