Anti‐inflammatory effects of Tibouchina granulosa in experimental model of endometriosis

Tibouchina granulosa is an ornamental tree commonly found in Brazil and some species of the genus are used in popular medicine. Researches from our group have shown that the tea from the leaves present a significant wound healing effect and acute anti‐inflammatory activity. Endometriosis is a debilitating gynecologic disease characterized by the implantation of endometrial tissue in ectopic locations. So far there is no treatment to the pathology itself, most of the women have to go through a hormone therapy or surgery. The aim of this study was to analyze if the ethanol extract (EE) from the leaves of T. granulosa, and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) could be used as a therapy to treat endometriosis. After implantation and establishment of autologous endometrium onto the peritoneum abdominal wall of Swiss webster female mice (25–35g, n = 8–30), the animals were divided in the following groups: vehicle group that received water (p.o.), EE (30 or 100 mg/kg), EAF (10, 30 or 100 mg/kg) for 15 consecutive days. At last day mice were euthanized, the size of the lesion and the quantification of cytokines in serum and in the tissue were performed and compared among the groups. Statistic was done by ANOVA followed by post‐test of Newman‐Keuls's. Protocols for animal use received the number #ICBDFBC‐015 (COBEA/UFRJ/Brazil). Vehicle‐treated group doubled the ectopic lesion size and the explants from the animals treated with all doses of the EE and EAF have maintained its size (1.75 ± 0.49 to vehicle‐treated group versus 1.00 ± 0.39 and 1.21 ± 0.37 to 30 or 100 mg/kg‐EE treated mice and 1.08 ± 0.33, 0.90 ± 0.35, 1.07 ± 0.41 to 10, 30 or 100 mg/kg‐EAF treated groups, respectively). Levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) in serum and in ectopic focus were significantly reduced in the EAF‐treated group (100 mg/kg dose) (229.98 ± 61.5 pg/ml in vehicle‐treated group versus 151.8 ± 54.2 pg/ml in EAF‐treated group and 6,686.9 ± 1,061.3 pg/ml protein in vehicle‐treated group versus 2,469.7 ± 2,223.1 pg/ml protein in EAF‐treated group, respectively). The chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) levels in explant was significantly inhibited with 30 and 100 mg/kg EAF doses (2,505.6 ± 829.6 pg/ml protein in control group versus 1,294.3 ± 312.7 pg/ml of protein and 593.4 ± 141.9 pg/ml of protein to 30 and 100 mg/kg, respectively). Taken together our data suggest that Tibouchina granulosa extract from leaves and it fraction in ethyl acetate have anti‐inflammatory effects in this experimental model of endometriosis. Support or Funding Information Acknowledgements: Instituto Vital Brazil (donation of animals), CAPES, CNPq and FAPERJ (financial support).