Effects of dietary gamma-linolenic acid on the tissue phospholipid fatty acid composition and the synthesis of eicosanoids in rats.
Quoc KP, Pascaud M.
Laboratoire de Physiologie, Metabolique et Nutrition, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different doses of dietary gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) on the tissue phospholipid fatty acid composition and the synthesis of eicosanoids in growing rats. The supplementation with different oils rich in GLA (borage oil, evening primrose oil, or Spirulina oil) and poor in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or biomass of Spirulina results in a significant dose-related increase of GLA and dihomo-GLA in liver, erythrocyte, and aorta phospholipids in rats fed during 6 weeks different levels of GLA. The arachidonic acid (AA)/dihomo-GLA ratios decreased with increasing intake of dietary GLA, but the AA proportions remained stable. The dietary administration of GLA increased the in vitro production by the aorta of prostaglandin E1 derived from dihomo-GLA, but did not significantly influence the production of prostaglandin E2 derived from AA by the aorta and the thromboxane B2 level in serum.
PUB: Ann Nutr Metab. 1996;40(2):99-108.
Effects of phycocyanin extract on prostaglandin E2 levels in mouse ear inflammation test.
Romay C, Ledon N, Gonzalez R.
Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas, CNIC, Habana, Cuba.
Recently it was demonstrated that phycocyanin, a biliprotein isolated from microalgae Spirulina, exerts anti-inflammatory activity in several animal models of inflammation. In this report, the effects of phycocyamin on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentrations and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity were determined in arachidonic acid (AA) and 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear oedema, respectively. Phycocyanin (50-200 mg/kg p.o.) inhibited in a dose-dependent manner PGE2 levels in mouse ear treated with AA. Also, phycocyanin (100-400 mg/kg p.o.) moderately reduced PLA2 activity in TPA-induced mouse ear inflammation test. In this model triamcinolone (10 mg/kg p.o.) used as reference drug exerted a remarkable inhibitory effect on PLA2 activity. These results provide the first evidence that the anti-inflammatory effects of phycocyanin may result, at least partially, from inhibition of PGE2 production and a moderate inhibition of PLA2 activity.
PUB: Arzneimittelforschung. 2000 Dec;50(12):1106-9.
Inhibitory effects of Spirulina in zymosan-induced arthritis in mice.
Remirez D, Gonzalez R, Merino N, Rodriguez S, Ancheta O.
Ozone International Center, Havana, Cuba.
The anti-inflammatory effect of microalgae Spirulina was studied in zymosan-induced arthritis in mice. Four days after the intra-articular injection of zymosan (15 mg/ml), Spirulina (100 and 400 mg/kg perorally) was administered to animals for 8 days. The mice were than killed and beta-glucuronidase was measured in the synovial fluid. Each knee joint was totally removed for histopathological studies. Spirulina significantly reduced the levels of beta-glucuronidase that had been increased by zymosan. Histopathological and ultrastructural studies showed inhibition of the inflammatory reaction, whereas no destruction of cartilage, well-preserved chondrocytes, and normal rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria were seen. The anti-arthritic effect exerted by Spirulina as shown in this model may be at least partly due to the previously reported antiinflammatory and antioxidative properties of its constituent, phycocyanin. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the anti-inflammatory effect of Spirulina in an experimental model of arthritis.
PUB: Mediators Inflamm. 2002 Apr;11(2):75-9.
Role of histamine in the inhibitory effects of phycocyanin in experimental models of allergic inflammatory response.
Remirez D, Ledon N, Gonzalez R.
Ozone Research Center, National Center for Scientific Research, Havana, Cuba.
It has recently been reported that phycocyanin, a biliprotein found in the blue-green microalgae Spirulina, exerts anti-inflammatory effects in some animal models of inflammation. Taking into account these findings, we decided to elucidate whether phycocyanin might exert also inhibitory effects in the induced allergic inflammatory response and on histamine release from isolated rat mast cells. In in vivo experiments, phycocyanin (100, 200 and 300mg/kg post-orally (p.o.)) was administered 1 h before the challenge with 1 microg of ovalbumin (OA) in the ear of mice previously sensitized with OA. One hour later, myeloperoxidase activity and ear edema were assessed. Phycocyanin significantly reduced both parameters. In separate experiments, phycocyanin (100 and 200 mg/kg p.o.) also reduced the blue spot area induced by intradermal injections of histamine, and the histamine releaser compound 48/80 in rat skin. In concordance with the former results, phycocyanin also significantly reduced histamine release induced by compound 48/80 from isolated peritoneal rat mast cells. The inhibitory effects of phycocyanin were dose dependent. Taken together, our results suggest that inhibition of allergic inflammatory response by phycocyanin is mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of histamine release from mast cells.
PUB: Mediators Inflamm. 2002 Apr;11(2):81-5.
