The Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Salvia officinalis on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Rats

Salvia officinalis, which has a high phenolic acid and flavonoid content, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory herb. Inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of many diseases and could cause damage by means of oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of S. officinalis formed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced experimental inflammation model. Four- to five-month-old 42 female Wistar albino rats were divided into six groups. Three groups were administered intraperitoneally 1 mg/kg LPS. Twenty-four hours after injection of LPS, 10 and 30 mg/kg S. officinalis extract were given orally to treatment groups. Pulmonary and hepatic F-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose ( F-FDG) uptake was calculated to determine the status of inflammation by 18F-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography ( FDG-PET) scan. Antioxidant enzyme activities and nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were also detected in serum. As a result, lung and liver F-FDG uptake was found to be higher in the inflammation group than control group. MDA levels in erythrocyte and all tissue samples (liver, lung, and kidney) were found to be significantly higher compared to treatment groups. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase activities of the inflammation group in the liver, lung, kidney tissues, and erythrocyte SOD and CAT activities were determined to significantly lower than groups treated with S. officinalis. Increased NO, NF-κB, and TNF-α levels were found in the inflammation group. S. officinalis has been observed to have useful effects on LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in rats.