Protective effect of Huperzine A in induced cytokine storm in mice

Abstract

Background: Life-threatening systemic inflammatory syndromes can be caused by various infections, autoimmune and cancerous diseases, genetic disorders, and certain therapeutic approaches. Such situations are frequently referred to as "cytokine storms." If detected too late and treated insufficiently, cytokine storm and the ensuing systemic reaction can proceed from vague clinical symptoms to multiorgan failure. TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 are the three main participants in the interplay of the cytokine storm and the most major proinflammatory cytokines of the innate immune response. Objective: evaluate Huperzine A protective effect on cytokine storm initiated by lipopolysaccharides in Swiss Albino mice. Method: Five groups, each consisting of ten mice (n=10), were created by randomly selecting 50 male Swiss albino mice. The Control group was neither induced nor treated; the Model group was injected with a single intraperitoneal dose (5 mg/kg) of Lipopolysaccharides solution and left untreated. The Vehicle group receive1% Dimethyl sulfoxide solution, the Methylprednisolone group received 50 mg/kg/day Methylprednisolone solution, and the Huperzine A group received 0.2mg/kg/day Huperzine A solution; all use administered by single intraperitoneal injection for three sequential days then induced by single intraperitoneal injection of Lipopolysaccharides at (5 mg/kg) dose. Results: After administering LPS, the non-treated groups' IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α serum levels were distinctly elevated (p < 0.001) with histopathological changes in the lung compared to the control group. Conclusion: Huperzine A demonstrates a protective effect against cytokine storm induced in Swiss Albino mice using LPS by suppressing serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and improving the lung histopathological changes