Phytochemical analysis of the Ora-pro-nóbis extract and its effects on experimental sepsis.

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response that leads to metabolic reprogramming of immune cells, triggering exacerbated inflammation, immunosuppression, and multiple organ failure. During the exacerbated inflammation phase of sepsis, energy is preferentially generated through glycolysis rather than oxidative phosphorylation, and lipid synthesis is stimulated to promote cell proliferation/growth. This shift in cellular metabolism, which aims to restore energy production pathways and metabolic homeostasis, may be associated with multiple organ failure in sepsis, which has been described as one of the causes of mortality in septic patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate the phytochemical profile of the crude aqueous extract of Pereskia aculeata (EAPa) and its effect during the development of experimental sepsis and whether it would be able to improve the clinical score and reduce the mortality of septic animals. EAPa was obtained through the infusion of its leaves. Subsequently, the phytochemistry of the extract was analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). For the in vivo analysis, the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model was used in C57BL/6 mice divided into 3 groups: a sham-operated group (SHAM), an untreated operated group (CLP), and an operated group treated with a dose of 25 mg/kg EAPa orally (CLP-EAPa). The mice received therapeutic treatment at 6, 24, and 48 hours, with or without EAPa. The results obtained by TLC showed that EAPa is rich in polyphenols and terpenes. Treatment with a dose of 25 mg/kg increased the survival of septic animals by about 80% compared to the untreated control. Furthermore, a significant improvement in the clinical score of the group treated with 25 mg/kg EAPa was observed compared to the septic control. Thus, further studies will be necessary to evaluate more deeply the medicinal properties present in the extract that could lead to the development of new therapies for sepsis.