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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Analytical Techniques for Assaying Nitric Oxide Bioactivity
Published on: June 18, 2012
Extract of the bristles of Dirphia sp. increases nitric oxide in a rat pleurisy model
A Lunardelli1, C E Leite, M Guerra Simões Pires
1Laboratório de Pesquisa em Biofísica, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681 prédio 12C sala 263, CEP 90619-900, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Objectives:
In the present study we assessed the inflammatory potential of venom obtained from caterpillar genus Dirphia in an acute model of lung injury.
Material And Methods:
Injection of extract from the bristles of Dirphia sp. (EBD) into the pleural cavity of rats elicited an acute inflammation response characterized by fluid accumulation which contained a large number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs).
Results:
The results show that EBD induces an inflammatory response, with a significant increase in PMNs, exudate and nitric oxide within 4 h after a 0.04 mg/kg dose. The administration of anti-inflammatory drugs (fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, dexamethasone, rofecoxib, sodium diclofenac and pyrilamine) significantly reduced the inflammatory effect of EBD.
Conclusions:
EBD causes an inflammatory reaction in the pleural cavity of rats involving a variety of inflammatory mediators, its action mechanism probably involving cellular injury and the exacerbated induction of cytokines and nitric oxide.
