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Carnosol Is a Potent Lung Protective Agent: Experimental Study on Mice.
T Kawamura1, T Momozane1, M Sanosaka2
1Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; Laboratory of Cell Signaling & Metabolic Disease.
Transplantation Proceedings
|August 22, 2015
Summary
Researchers identified natural compounds to reduce oxidative stress in lung transplantation. Callicarpa longissima extract, containing carnosol, protected mouse lungs from damage by activating the NRF2 pathway and inducing HO-1 expression.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Transplantation Science
Background:
- Oxidative stress is a key factor in ischemia/reperfusion injury, significantly impacting lung transplantation success.
- Developing strategies to mitigate oxidative stress is crucial for improving organ transplant outcomes.
- This study focused on identifying natural compounds that can reduce oxidative stress in isolated mouse lungs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To screen plant extracts for compounds that activate the NRF2 pathway, a key regulator of antioxidant responses.
- To evaluate the efficacy of identified compounds in protecting lung tissue from oxidative damage.
- To identify specific compounds from Callicarpa longissima extract with potential therapeutic benefits for lung transplantation.
Main Methods:
- Screened 200 plant extracts for NRF2 activator compounds.
- Administered enriched extracts to mice orally for one week.
- Isolated mouse lungs and cultured them, monitoring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release as a marker of damage.
- Assessed arterial blood gas levels after hilar clamping.
Main Results:
- Callicarpa longissima extract demonstrated significant NRF2 activating properties.
- Carnosic acid and its derivative, carnosol, were identified as the active compounds.
- Carnosol showed more potent induction of heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression, a downstream NRF2 target, compared to carnosic acid.
Conclusions:
- Mice treated with Callicarpa longissima extract exhibited reduced lung damage post-isolation compared to controls.
- The protective effect was associated with induced HO-1 expression, indicating NRF2 pathway activation.
- Carnosol is proposed as a potential therapeutic agent to enhance lung transplantation success rates.
