Crude extracts from Diospyros gilletii stem bark attenuate Shigella flexneri-induced diarrhea in mice

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the anti-shigellosis activity of the hydroethanol extract of Diospyros gilletii (D. gilletii) stem bark in Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri)-induced diarrheal mice.

Methods: The hydroethanolic extract was obtained by maceration of D. gilletii stem bark in 70% hydroethanol (waterethanol; 30:70, v/v) solution. Then, mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide for immunosuppression were administered orally with an inoculum containing S. flexneri, and subsequently treated with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of the hydroethanol extracts for 10 days. The bacterial colonies were enumerated and hematological and biochemical parameters were determined. Serum pro-inflammatory mediators including IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and nitric oxide levels were quantified by ELISA. Histological analyses of the kidney, liver, and colon were also conducted.

Results: Treatment with 200 and 400 mg/kg of the hydroethanolic extracts markedly inhibited the growth of S. flexneri. Moreover, treatment with D. gilletii extract downregulated the levels of IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and restored hematological and biochemical parameters as well as histological architecture of the colon, liver, and kidneys. Additionally, the oral administration of 2000 mg/kg D. gilletii extract did not induce any sign of toxicity, with a median lethal dose greater than 2000 mg/kg.

Conclusions: D. gilletii extract demonstrates the anti-shigellosis effects in S. flexneri-induced diarrheal mice, supporting the traditional use of this plant in treating diarrhea.

Keywords

Diospyros gilletti / Shigella flexneri / Diarrhea / Pro-inflammatory cytokines / Acute toxicity / Shigellosis

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research Resources Repository (BEI Resources, Rockville, United States of America) for donating the reference strain Shigella flexneri NR 518.

Funding

This research was funded by the Yaounde-Bielefeld Bilateral Graduate School for Natural Products with Anti-parasite and Antibacterial Activity (YaBiNaPA) (grant number: 57316173).

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon request.

Authors’ contributions

PKL, BPK and FFB designed the work, administered and supervised the project, and contributed to the final version of the manuscript, and approved the final version to be published. BLNK, JMTN, LMNN, TEN, VN and YKDM collected, analyzed and interpreted the data, and contributed to the final version of the manuscript, and approved the final version to be published.

Publisher’s note

The Publisher of the Journal remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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