Rhamnazin protects against acute lung injury

Researchers from Changzhou Jintan District People’s Hospital in China found that a flavonoid called rhamnazin has protective activity against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury. This finding, which was published in the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicines, was based on the results of in vivo experiments conducted in rats.

• Acute lung injury is a respiratory failure syndrome often accompanied by symptoms like pulmonary edema, acute respiratory failure, and capillary edema, which contribute to its high mortality risk.
• Some of the possible causes for acute lung injury include aspiration, toxic inhalation, drowning, burns, blood transfusions, sepsis, and others that can lead to pulmonary inflammation due to the response of vascular tissue.
• Flavonoids are known for their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can be attributed for the potential use of quercetin and naringenin in acute lung injury. Unfortunately, the flavonoid rhamnazin, commonly found in the blackthorn plant, has not been studied for this possible application.
• In this study, the researchers evaluated the effects of commercially available rhamnazin on rats with LPS-induced acute lung injury based on parameters for pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress. They also tried to determine the possible molecular mechanisms involved in the flavonoid’s action.
• The findings of the study showed that rhamnazin significantly reduced the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals. It was also observed to reduce oxidative stress by activating the Nrf2 pathway, which induces an antioxidant response.

From these results, the researchers concluded that rhamnazin exhibits protective activity against acute lung injury through its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The full text of the study is available at this link.

Read more news articles on the health benefits of flavonoids by visiting Phytonutrients.news.

Journal Reference:

Wu G, Dai X, Li X, Jiang H. ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF RHAMNAZIN ON LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-INDUCED ACUTE LUNG INJURY AND INFLAMMATION IN RATS. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative medicines. 2017;14(4). DOI:10.21010/ajtcam.v14i4.23