Flow Cytometric Analysis of Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Production in Hyperglycemic Mouse Model

The sharp increase of pro-inflammatory cytokine becomes a severe problem in some degenerative diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Cherry Leaf Extract (CLE) on pro-inflammatory cytokine production in hyperglycaemic mouse model. A recent patent mentioned that Muntinga calabura is a flavonoid-containing plant which is capable of reinforcing the stomach, appetizing, helping digestion (CN 201611138374), and improving stomach distention (CN106071017A). The efficacy of this miracle plant has inspired this experiment.

In this study, we induced hyperglycemia with high-fat diet and 20% fructose drink. Hyperglycemic mice were orally administered with CLE with the doses 420, 700, and 28000 mg/kg BW for two weeks. After treatment, the pro-inflammatory molecule was analyzed by flow cytometry from splenic cells.

This study showed that CLE decreased the production of pro-inflammatory molecules such as IL-6, NF-κB, TNF-α, and IFN γ. In hyperglycemic mice, we found CD68+IL-6+, NK1.1+IL- 6+, B220+NFκB+, CD4+TNF-α+, and CD4+IFN γ + increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to control mice without manipulation. After treatment with 420, 700, or 2800 mg/kg BW of CLE, the pro-inflammatory molecules decreased significantly (p < 0.05), and reached a normal physiology level.

CLE can suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines in hyperglycemic mouse model, suggesting this medicinal herb may be beneficial as a potential strategy for future therapeutic interventions in degenerative diseases or a disease involving cell activation.