Evaluation of the Anti-inflammatory and parasite density effect of Palm oil supplemented diet in Plasmodium berghei infected mice

Abstract

Malaria infection induces a cascade of secondary pathological events, among which oxidative stress and inflammation are interconnected. This interaction often exacerbates tissue damage and significantly contributes to disease progression. Given the reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of red palm oil, this study evaluated the therapeutic potential of a red palm oil supplemented diet in mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation in a murine model of plasmodium berghei infection concurrently administered with standard anti-malaria drugs.

Mice weighing 19 ± 2.5g were distributed into seven groups of fifteen (15) animals each for this study. The mice were infected with NK65 Plasmodium berghei strain.  The individual effects of red palm oil supplemented diet and of anti-malaria drugs (amodiaquine (AMQ), and Chloroquine (CQ) along with their contributory effects were evaluated.  The mice were fed with standard rat chow with 15% v/w red palm oil.  The percentage parasitemia and suppression were estimated. Activities of some inflammatory cytokines such as Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Interleukin (IL)-6, and Interferon gamma (IFN)-γ and anti-inflammatory cytokines; Interleukin (IL)-10, Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and Interleukin (IL)-4 were evaluated.

The studies revealed that mice induced with P. berghei showed significant increase in IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α compared to the negative control (p<0.05) and a reduction in IL-10, and TGF-β (p<0.05). Mice treated with AMQ and CQ showed a significant reduction in IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α (p<0.05) compared to positive control. Mice supplemented with palm oil only exhibited higher levels of IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α (p<0.05) compared to the groups treated with antimalarial drugs and treated with palm oil supplementation.  Mice on palm oil-supplemented diet-only group displayed lower levels of IL-10, and TGF-β compared to the antimalarial drug-treated groups (p<0.05). IL-4 shows no significant difference among these groups. However, when antimalaria-treated mice on palm oil supplementation were compared with antimalaria-treated mice (without palm oil) there was a notable significance (p<0.05) in the level of interleukin 10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine only between CQ-treated and CQ plus palm oil treated. This implies palm oil has anti-inflammatory effects to corroborate with CQ. The results proved an anti-inflammatory protection against tissue injury.