Orchid Dendrobium alpestre Royle enhances survival in lethal sepsis induced in mice

Abstract

Despite advances in medical care and therapy, sepsis is still one of the major causes of death in intensive care units, and no decisive medical treatment is available against sepsis. The present study investigated the antibacterial activity, acute toxicity studies, hemodynamic parameters, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Dendrobium alpestre (Da), and its effects on cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) induced sepsis in mice. At equivalent concentration, Da showed antibacterial activities as potent as streptomycin against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Acute toxicity studies on mice found out that Da was non-toxic up to 2000 mg/Kg body weight, and the low and high dose was fixed as 100 and 200 mg/Kg body weight, respectively. At both doses, Da improved hemodynamic parameters such as mean arterial pressure and decreased optical density of blood, while it decreased serum MPO activity. Moreover, at a high dose, Da reduced the survival rate to 92.50±3.50% in mice that might be through pro-inflammatory effects. The results indicate that D. alpestre can be a favourable natural source for the treatment of CLP-induced sepsis in mice.