Antimicrobial and Immunomodulatory Effects of Punicalagin and Meropenem in a Murine Model of Sublethal Sepsis
Abstract
Background: Punicalagin (Pg), a major ellagitannin derived from pomegranates, possesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties, suggesting its potential as an adjunctive therapy for sepsis. Objectives: This study investigated the synergistic effects of punicalagin and meropenem in a murine model of sublethal sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Methods: Mice were treated with punicalagin and meropenem, and multiple parameters were analyzed, including hematological indices, bacterial burden, lymphoid organ cellularity, cytokine profiles (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO) production, and organ histopathology. Results: Punicalagin enhanced NO-mediated antimicrobial responses, increased neutrophil migration, preserved lymphoid cellularity, and significantly reduced the bacterial translocation. Combined therapy with meropenem improved systemic IL-10 levels and mitigated histopathological damage in the liver, kidney, intestine, and lung. Importantly, punicalagin did not induce thrombocytopenia. Conclusions: These results support the potential of punicalagin as an adjunctive agent to antibiotics for sepsis treatment, offering both antimicrobial and immunoregulatory benefits. Further studies are required to explore its clinical applicability.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Structural and topological analysis of thiosemicarbazone-based metal complexes: computational and experimental study of bacterial biofilm inhibition and antioxidant activity
- Toward better cures for Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease
- Challenges for global antibiotic regimen planning and establishing antimicrobial resistance targets: implications for the WHO Essential Medicines List and AWaRe antibiotic book dosing
- Design, Synthesis and In vitro Antitubercular Effect of New Chalcone Derivatives Coupled with 1,2,3‐Triazoles: A Computational Docking Techniques
- Upregulation of pmrA, pmrB, pmrC, phoQ, phoP, and arnT genes contributing to resistance to colistin in superbug Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from human clinical samples in Tehran, Iran
- Whole-genome sequencing of clinical isolates of Citrobacter Europaeus in China carrying blaOXA−48 and blaNDM−1
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.