Alleviating sepsis: Revealing the protective role of costunolide in a cecal ligation and puncture rat model

Sepsis poses a significant threat to human life, rendering it a burdensome medical disease. Despite significant advancements, the current state of medical science still lacks a viable and efficacious cure. Costunolide (COST) is a multifaceted sesquiterpene lactone that exhibits a range of actions, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We investigated the potential impacts of COST on a rat sepsis model caused by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).

We created an experimental rat model with the following groups: SHAM, CLP, CLP+low dose COST, and CLP+high dose COST. Blood, kidney, and lung samples were collected. Inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α), and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) were investigated. In addition, we assessed oxidative stress by measuring 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) immunopositivity, MDA levels, glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations backed up our findings.

Compared to the CLP group, the COST group showed a reduction in inflammatory and oxidative stress indicators. The expression of inflammatory mediators was suppressed by COST, and histological examinations revealed improvements in kidney and lung tissues in the treatment groups.

Our study highlights the preventive effects of COST against CLP-induced sepsis-related injury. Considering its beneficial effects against many diseases, COST is worthy as to be evaluated against sepsis.