Effect of Lonicera caerulea var. emphyllocalyx Extracts on Murine Streptococcus pyogenes Infection by Modulating Immune System

Abstract

Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) causes several infectious diseases such as tonsillitis, cellulitis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. The general treatment of S. pyogenes infection is by using β-lactam antibiotics; however, the cases of treatment failure were increasing as serious problems. Lonicera caerulea var. emphyllocalyx (LCE) has been used in the folk medicine in the northern part of Japan, the northern part of China, Korea, and Russia. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of three parts (fruit, stem, and leaf) of Lonicera caerulea var. emphyllocalyx extract (LCEEs) against murine S. pyogenes infection. Oral administration of LCEEs increased the mortality in murine model, and the extracts of its stems and leaves were more effective than the fruit extract significantly. Murine splenocytes and mesenteric lymph nodal cells treated with LCEEs suppressed the excess production of inflammatory cytokine such as TNF-α in comparison to those from untreated cells. LCEEs stimulated the differentiation of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells in those murine lymph nodal cells. It also activated the proliferative response of murine lymph nodal cells. We also found that the stem and leaf extracts seemed to be more effective than the fruit extract in those phenomena. The concentration of lignins in LCEE prepared from the stems was larger than that from leaves, and that was larger than that from the fruits. Our data suggest that LCE, especially the stems and the leaves, may be useful for the treatment of S. pyogenes infection.

Methanol extract of <i>Lonicera caerulea</i> var. <i>emphyllocalyx</i> fruit has anti-motility and anti-biofilm activity against enteropathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i>

“…The freezedried fruit of Lonicera caerulea and its phenolic fraction reduced the biofilm formation and adhesion to the artificial surface of Candida parapsilosis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans and E. coli (12). The fruit of Lonicera caerulea also had anti-bacterial and antibiofilm effects on Streptococcus pyogenes in vitro (13). As extracts from Lonicera alpigena exhibited the biofilm inhibition, limited bacteriostatic activity was also evident (17).…”

“…Voucher specimens were preserved in the Department of Pharmacognosy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University. The LCEE was used in our previous study which included a fingerprint pattern and content of marker compounds (13). LCEEs were dissolved in water to a concentration of 200 mg/ mL, and stored at -20°C.…”

Effect of Lonicera caerulea var. emphyllocalyx Fruit on Biofilm Formed by Porphyromonas gingivalis

“…emphyllocalyx (LCE) was harvested in Atsuma, Hokkaido, in the northern part of Japan in 2017. The methanol extract of LCE fruit (LCEE) used in this study was the same one as that in our previous study [19, 20]. C3G was purchased from Tokiwa Phytochemical (Sakura, Japan).…”

“…Its fruits are purple-colored, hard berries, which are about 1–2 cm long and 1 cm wide and can resist temperatures below −40°C [18]. These fruits of honeysuckle plants have been used in folk medicine in the countries of their origin [19]. Recently, LCE has been widely harvested in many countries including Japan and consumed as a part of the human diet [18].…”

“…Recently, LCE has been widely harvested in many countries including Japan and consumed as a part of the human diet [18]. Previously, we partly described the effect of LCE extract (LCEE) on Streptococcus pyogenes infection not only in vitro but also in vivo [19, 20]. However, the precise mode of antibacterial activity of LCEE against other bacteria has not been unclear.…”