Anti-inflammatory effects of Lagerstroemia indica and protection effects on on reflux-esophagitis in rats

Lagerstroemia indica be called crape myrtle, is a species of the family Lythraceae from China, Korea and Japan. Currently, crape myrtle varieties can fill every landscape need, from tidy street trees to dense barrier hedges to fast-growing dwarf types[1]. The esophageal mucosal injury is complex, it may involve the reflux of gastric acid and related to inflammation[2]. In the study, we performed to determine the anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and protection effects on reflux-esophagitis in rats from Lagerstroemia indica fruits. The anti-inflammatory effect of Lagerstroemia indica extracts was measured by NO production inhibitory activity and the expression of pro-inflammatory protein such as iNOS, COX-2 and NF-kB on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Raw 264.7 cells. The NO production and iNOS, COX-2 and NF-kB expression were increased by LPS were inhibited by the Lagerstroemia indica extracts. In the result of experimental reflux-induced esophagitis, the mucosal damage on normal rats was not apparent. The oral administration of Lagerstroemia indica extracts decrease contradistinction to the reflux-esophagitis control. These results indicated that ethanol extracts of Lagerstroemia indica fruits expected development possibility as a useful nutraceuticals through high anti-inflammatory and protection effects on reflux-esophagitis.

[1] From Lagerstroemia – Wikipedia

[2] Norimasa Yoshida. J. Clin. BiochemNutr 2007; 40:13 – 23