香椿葉萃取物對敗血症小鼠血清中細胞激素濃度與肝臟受損指標的影響評估

Effects of Toona Sinensis Leaf Extracts on Serum Cytokine Levels and Liver Injury Markers in Septic Mice

背景與目的：過去研究顯示敗血症會產生過度的發炎反應，進而對體內的細胞及器官造成傷害。另一方面文獻指出香椿具有抗發炎的作用。因此本研究探討香椿葉萃取物（TS）對敗血症小鼠的細胞激素與肝臟損傷狀態之影響評估。材料與方法：將小鼠分為Control組、TS組、sham組、CLP（盲腸結紮穿刺手術）組和TS+CLP組。小鼠先餵食TS（100 mg/kg B.W./day）後，再執行CLP手術，分析血液中敗血症相關細胞激素（TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-1 ß、IL-6、IL-10、IL-17A）與肝細胞損傷指標（AST與ALT）。實驗結果：與Control組相比，CLP_(6hr)組中促發炎細胞激素IL-17A、IL-1 ß、IL-6與IL-10濃度有顯著性增加；CLP_(12hr)組中IL-6與IL-10濃度有顯著性增加。此外，與CLP_(6hr)組相比，TS+CLP_(6hr)組中促發炎細胞激素IL-17A濃度呈現顯著性下降。另一方面，在肝損傷指標的部分，CLP_(6hr)組其ALT活性明顯高於sham_(6hr)組；與sham_(12hr)相比，CLP_(12hr)組中ALT與AST的活性也顯著性的上升；而TS+CLP_(12hr)組的ALT活性則較CLP_(12hr)組呈現顯著性的下降。結論：TS能降低細胞激素IL-17A的濃度，以及減少小鼠肝細胞的損傷。因此TS或許可合併抗生素使用，作為敗血症的輔助治療。

Background: Sepsis remains a major cause of mortality in intensive care. Previous studies have pointed out that sepsis is caused by excessive inflammatory responses, leading to cell and organ damage in a host. In addition, Toona sinensis is believed to possess anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of Toona sinensis leaf extracts (TS) on cytokine levels and liver injury markers in septic mice. Methods: We divided the C57BL/6 mice into five groups, namely, the Control group, TS group, sham group, CLP (Cecal ligation and puncture) group and TS+CLP group. The mice were supplemented with TS (100 mg/kg B.W./day) in feed prior to the CLP operations. The sepsis related cytokines (proinflammatory: IL-17A, IL-1 ß, IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α and anti-inflammatory: IL-10) and liver injury markers (AST and ALT) were assayed. Results: The levels of IL-17A, IL-1 ß, IL-6, and IL-10 were significantly increased in the CLP6hr group compared with those in the Control group; the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly increased in the CLP_(12hr) group compared with those in the Control group. Besides, our results showed that compared with those in the CLP_(6hr) group, the level of IL-17A was significantly decreased in the TS+CLP_(6hr) group. On the other hand, the level of ALT was increased in the CLP_(6hr) group compared with that in the sham_(6hr) group; the ALT and AST levels were increased in the CLP_(12hr) group compared with those in the sham12hr group. Moreover, the level of ALT was significantly decreased in the TS+CLP_(12hr) group compared with that in the CLP_(12hr) group. Conclusions: TS supplementation would decrease the level of IL-17A and liver injury in septic mice. Therefore, TS may be a potentially effective adjuvant therapy to antibiotics.