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Sulfated polysaccharides isolated from the green seaweed Caulerpa racemosa plays antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in a way dependent on HO-1 pathway activation

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Abstract

Objective

Marine algae are abundant sources of sulfated polysaccharides with various biological activities. Consequently, their biomolecules are of great of commercial interest. In this study, we investigated the potential antinociceptive activity of a sulfated polysaccharide obtained from the green seaweed Caulerpa racemosa (CrII) and the involvement of the hemoxigenase-1 (HO-1) pathway in its anti-inflammatory effect.

Methods

We used a systemic evaluation to verify possible toxic effects of Crll after consecutive treatments. Swiss mice and Wistar rats were used for all experiments.

Results

In Swiss mice, CrII (0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of abdominal contortions and the duration of paw licking in the second phase after treatment with acetic acid and formalin, respectively. However, CrII was unable to prolong the reaction time of thermally stimulated animals. The anti-inflammatory effect of CrII (0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) was evidenced by a decreased number of leukocytes in the peritoneal cavities of the rats. CrII (0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) also reduced the amount of paw edema induced by carrageenan (Cg) and dextran. The anti-inflammatory effect of CrII was confirmed by reduced levels of myeloperoxidase in the paw tissue of the Cg groups. After inhibition with ZnPP IX, a specific HO-1 phenotype inhibitor, the anti-inflammatory effect of CrII was no longer observed in Cg-induced paw edema tests. Consecutive Crll (1.0 mg/kg) for 14 days did not change any biochemical or histopathological parameters, or cause mortality of mice.

Conclusions

CrII did not produce any signs of toxicity and effectively decreased nociception and inflammation. Also, the anti-inflammatory effect of Crll is at least in part dependent on the integrity of the HO-1 pathway.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Coordenacão de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). H. S. A. Monteiro and N. M. B. Benevides are senior investigators of CNPq/Brazil.

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No conflict of interest is declared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60455-760, Brazil

    Natássia Albuquerque Ribeiro, Ticiana Monteiro Abreu & Norma Maria Barros Benevides

  2. Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Sobral, CE, Brazil

    Hellíada Vasconcelos Chaves

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Sobral, CE, Brazil

    Mirna Marques Bezerra

  4. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Helena Serra Azul Monteiro & Roberta Jeane Bezerra Jorge

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  1. Natássia Albuquerque Ribeiro
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  2. Ticiana Monteiro Abreu
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  5. Helena Serra Azul Monteiro
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Correspondence to Norma Maria Barros Benevides.

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Ribeiro, N.A., Abreu, T.M., Chaves, H.V. et al. Sulfated polysaccharides isolated from the green seaweed Caulerpa racemosa plays antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in a way dependent on HO-1 pathway activation. Inflamm. Res. 63, 569–580 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-014-0728-2

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