Abstract
Chronic pharyngitis is characterized as a common inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa, and anti-inflammatory medications are the common treatment to relieve it. Polysacharides of Citrus grandis L. Osbeck (PCG) and luteolin have been reported to have anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, the protective effects of PCG and luteolin on chronic pharyngitis are evaluated and the underlying mechanisms are explored. PCG and luteolin are administrated to animal models with granuloma, ear edema and chronic pharyngitis and the effects of PCG and luteolin on disease severity are evaluated. We also evaluate the effects of PCG and luteolin on inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS)/interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and detect the effects of PCG and luteolin on macrophage polarization. Finally, we evaluate the effects of PCG and luteolin on activations of LPS-induced downstream signaling pathways. PCG and luteolin alleviate the disease severity of granuloma, ear edema and chronic pharyngitis. PCG and luteolin suppress the productions of pro-inflammatory cytokines interlukin-6 (IL-6), interlukin-12 (IL-12) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in macrophages. Luteolin promotes macrophage M2 polarization by enhancing expressions of arginase (Arg1) and mannose receptor C type 1 (Mrc1). PCG and luteolin suppress nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1), interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) expression. PCG together with luteolin relieves chronic pharyngitis by anti-inflammatory via suppressing NF-κB pathway and the polarization of M1 macrophage.