Korean J Intern Med.  2013 Mar;28(2):216-223. 10.3904/kjim.2013.28.2.216.

The effects of pycnogenol on antioxidant enzymes in a mouse model of ozone exposure

• Lee MS
• Moon KY
• Bae DJ
• Park MK
• Jang AS

• KMID: 1501777
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2013.28.2.216

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Ozone is an environmentally reactive oxidant, and pycnogenol is a mixture of flavonoid compounds extracted from pine tree bark that have antioxidant activity. We investigated the effects of pycnogenol on reactive nitrogen species, antioxidant responses, and airway responsiveness in BALB/c mice exposed to ozone.
METHODS
Antioxidant levels were determined using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Nitric oxide (NO) metabolites in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from BALB/c mice in filtered air and 2 ppm ozone with pycnogenol pretreatment before ozone exposure (n = 6) were quantified colorimetrically using the Griess reaction.
RESULTS
Uric acid and ascorbic acid concentrations were significantly higher in BAL fluid following pretreatment with pycnogenol, whereas gamma-tocopherol concentrations were higher in the ozone exposed group but were similar in the ozone and pycnogenol pretreatment groups. Retinol and gamma-tocopherol concentrations tended to increase in the ozone exposure group but were similar in the ozone and pycnogenol pretreatment groups following ozone exposure. Malonylaldehyde concentrations increased in the ozone exposure group but were similar in the ozone and pycnogenol plus ozone groups. The nitrite and total NO metabolite concentrations in BAL fluid, which parallel the in vivo generation of NO in the airways, were significantly greater in the ozone exposed group than the group exposed to filtered air, but decreased with pycnogenol pretreatment.
CONCLUSIONS
Pycnogenol may increase levels of antioxidant enzymes and decrease levels of nitrogen species, suggesting that antioxidants minimize the effects of acute ozone exposure via a protective mechanism.

Keyword

Antioxidants; Nitric oxide; Reactive nitrogen species; Ozone

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antioxidants/*pharmacology
Ascorbic Acid/metabolism
Bronchial Hyperreactivity/chemically induced/metabolism/*prevention & control
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/chemistry
Bronchoconstriction/drug effects
Disease Models, Animal
Female
Flavonoids/*pharmacology
Inhalation Exposure
Lung/*drug effects/enzymology/physiopathology
Malondialdehyde/metabolism
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Nitric Oxide/metabolism
Oxidative Stress/*drug effects
*Ozone
Uric Acid/metabolism
Vitamin A/metabolism
alpha-Tocopherol/metabolism
Antioxidants
Flavonoids
Vitamin A
Uric Acid
Nitric Oxide
Malondialdehyde
Ozone
alpha-Tocopherol
Ascorbic Acid