Plant compound rutin calms runaway immune response and protects lungs in sepsis
Zhu Y, Shao M, Zheng Q, Wang Z, Zhang K
Medicinal Plants
Rutin is the same pigment-like flavonoid that shows up in buckwheat, citrus peel, and the leaves of rue, so the herbs and edible plants in your garden carry a compound now being studied for life-threatening lung inflammation.
During sepsis, immune cells throw out sticky webs of DNA that end up damaging the lungs. Rutin, a compound made by many plants, stops those webs from forming by blocking an enzyme that kicks off the chain reaction. In mice, rutin improved survival and reduced lung swelling and inflammation, though it's early lab work and not a treatment yet.
Key Findings
Rutin at 50-200 μM significantly reduced extracellular DNA and NET formation in PMA-stimulated dHL-60 cells (P < 0.01), without intercalating into DNA or causing DNA damage.
Rutin bound directly to NOX4, lowering intracellular ROS and Ca2+ and downregulating p-ERK, p-p38, p-JNK, PAD4, and CitH3 in the ROS-dependent MAPK pathway.
In a sepsis-induced acute lung injury model, rutin improved survival, reduced lung wet/dry weight ratio, cell count, protein concentration, and inflammatory cytokines in lavage fluid, and lowered serum extracellular DNA and MPO-DNA complexes.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Rutin, a plant compound found in many fruits, vegetables, and herbs, improved survival and reduced lung damage in a sepsis model by blocking the sticky DNA webs that immune cells release. It works by binding an enzyme called NOX4, which points to a natural lead for future sepsis treatments.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Rutin targeting NOX4 alleviates sepsis-induced acute lung injury via inhibition of NET formation through the ROS/MAPK/PAD4 pathway.
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been identified as pivotal contributors in driving excessive inflammation and organ damage during sepsis. Rutin has shown broad therapeutic potentials in ...
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Plant compounds are the diverse array of primary and secondary metabolites produced by plants, including alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, glucosinolates, and organosulfur compounds, each synthesized through specific biosynthetic pathways. Understanding these molecules is central to plant science
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