Curcumin ameliorates lung inflammation induced by Klebsiella pneumoniae and may be a useful adjuvant in antibiotic therapy. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Curcumin alone and in combination with augmentin protects against pulmonary inflammation and acute lung injury generated during Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055-induced lung infection in BALB/c mice.
J Med Microbiol. 2010 Jan 7. Epub 2010 Jan 7. PMID: 20056776
Acute lung injuries due to acute lung infections remain the major cause of mortality. Thus a combination of an antibiotic and a compound with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities can help to overcome acute lung infection-induced injuries. Curcumin derived from the rhizome of turmeric has been used since decades and it exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, immunomodulatory properties by downregulation of various inflammatory mediators. Keeping these properties in mind, we tried to find out the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin in mouse model of acute inflammation by introducing Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 in BALB/c mice via intranasal route. Intranasal instillation of bacteria in this mouse model of acute pneumonia induced inflammation resulted in significant increase in neutrophil infiltration in the lungs along with increased production of various inflammatory mediators (i.e. malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, TNF alpha) in the lung tissue. The animals, which received curcumin alone orally or in combination with augmentin, 15 days prior to bacterial instillation into the lungs via intranasal route, showed significant (P<0.05) decrease in neutrophil influx into the lungs and significant (P<0.05) decrease in the production of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, myeloperoxidase activity and TNF alpha levels. Augmentin treatment alone did not decrease the malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide and TNF alpha levels significantly (P>0.05) as compared to the control group. We therefore conclude that curcumin ameliorates lung inflammation induced by K. pneumoniae B5055 without significantly (P<0.05) decreasing the bacterial load in the lung tissue whereas augmentin takes care of bacterial proliferation. Hence, it can be used as an adjunct therapy along with antibiotics as an anti-inflammatory or an immunomodulatory agent in case of acute lung infection.
