Plants' bioactive secondary metabolites in the management of sepsis: Recent findings on their mechanism of action

Sepsis is a severe inflammatory response to systemic infection and is a threatening cause of death in intensive care units. In recent years, a number of studies have been conducted on the protective effect of natural products against sepsis-induced organ injury. However, a comprehensive review of these studies indicating the mechanisms of action of the bioactive compounds is still lacking. In this context, this review aimed to provide an updated analysis of the mechanism of action of plants' secondary metabolites in the management of sepsis. Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and PubMed were searched from inception to July 2022. A variety of secondary metabolites were found to be effective in sepsis management including allicin, aloin, cepharanthine, chrysin, curcumin, cyanidin, gallic acid, gingerol, ginsenoside, glycyrrhizin, hesperidin, kaempferol, narciclasine, naringenin, naringin, piperine, quercetin, resveratrol, rosmarinic acid, shogaol, silymarin, sulforaphane, thymoquinone, umbelliferone, and zingerone. The protective effects exerted by these compounds can be ascribed to their antioxidant properties as well as induction of endogenous antioxidant mechanisms, and also via the downregulation of inflammatory response and reduction of biochemical and inflammatory markers of sepsis. These findings suggest that these secondary metabolites could be of potential therapeutic value in the management of sepsis, but human studies must be performed to provide strength to their potential clinical relevance in sepsis-related morbidity and mortality reduction.

Sulforaphane Suppresses Sepsis-Mediated Renal Functions in Cecal Ligation and Puncture Mouse Model

Sulforaphane (SFN), a natural isothiocyanate present in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, is effective in preventing carcinogenesis, diabetes, and inflammatory responses. This study was initiated to determine whether SFN could modulate renal functional damage in a mouse model of sepsis and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The potential of SFN treatment to reduce renal damage induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery in mice was measured by assessment of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), lipid peroxidation, total glutathione, glutathione peroxidase activity, catalase activity, and superoxide dismutase activity. Treatment with SFN resulted in elevated plasma levels of BUN and creatinine, and of protein in urine in mice with CLP-induced renal damage. SFN treatment also reduced the plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),▢increased lipid peroxidation, and markedly enhanced the antioxidant defense system by restoring the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase in kidney tissues. The present results suggested that SFN protects mice against sepsis-triggered renal injury.