Neuroinflammation is one of the most important mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent inflammogen which causes cognitive dysfunction. Boswellia serrata is known since many years as a powerful anti-inflammatory herbal drug. Its beneficial effect mainly arises from inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) enzyme. 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) is the most potent 5-LO inhibitor extracted from the oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia serrata. The aim of the present work is to study the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of AKBA and dexamethasone (DEX) in LPS-induced neuroinflammatory model. A single intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of LPS (0.8 mg/kg) was injected to induce cognitive dysfunction. The LPS-treated mice were administered for 7 days with either AKBA or DEX at intraperitoneal doses of 5 and 1 mg/kg, respectively. Cognitive, locomotor functions, and anxiety level were first examined. The level of the phosphorylated inhibitory protein for NF-κB, IκB-α (P-IκB-α), was measured, and the expression levels of the inflammatory microRNA-155 (miR-155) and its target gene, suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1), were determined in the brain. Moreover, the level of carbonyl proteins as a measure of oxidative stress and several cytokines as well as markers for apoptosis and amyloidogenesis was detected. Results showed that AKBA and DEX reversed the behavioral dysfunction induced by LPS. AKBA decreased P-IκB-α, miRNA-155 expression level, and carbonyl protein content. It restored normal cytokine level and increased SOCS-1 expression level. It also showed anti-apoptotic and anti-amyloidogenic effects in LPS-injected mice. These findings suggest AKBA as a therapeutic drug for alleviating the symptoms of neuroinflammatory disorders.

Neuro-inflammation is known to initiate the underlying pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders which may progress to cognitive, behavioral, and functional impairment. Boswellia serrata is a well-known powerful anti-inflammatory agent used to treat several inflammatory diseases. The aim of the current study is to investigate the effect of the combination therapy of 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA), a 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitor and celecoxib, and a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor as dual enzyme inhibitors compared to monotherapies with celecoxib and AKBA. Cognitive dysfunction is induced by intraperational injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. Radial maze, Y maze, and novel object recognition (NOR) were performed to evaluate the possible behavioral changes. Moreover, estimation of glutamate and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), as well as an immunohistochemical investigation of amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) was performed to evaluate the molecular changes that followed the LPS or drug treatment. The results showed that the combination therapy of AKBA and celecoxib reversed the behavioral and molecular changes caused by LPS cognitive dysfunction model that predispose cognitive dysfunction in mice. This study showed the effectiveness of the dual therapy with AKBA and celecoxib as anti-inflammatory, antiglutamatergic, and anti-amyloidogenic agents in the management of cognitive dysfunction.

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