Açaí (Euterpe Oleraceae Mart.) Seeds Regulate NF-κB and Nrf2/ARE Pathways Protecting Lung against Acute and Chronic Inflammation

Background/Aims: Respiratory diseases are the world’s biggest cause of mortality and disability. Specific nutrients have been proposed to positively affect disease progression as novel therapy alternatives to glucocorticosteroids. There has been a lot of attention in the possible health advantages of dietary assumption of Açai Seeds, popular native fruit found in the Amazon region which is rich in bioactive compounds. Until today nobody investigated the beneficial property of Açai Seeds administration in lung disease. Methods: In our study we use two model of lung disease: for acute lung disease we use an intrapleural injection of Carrageenan; for chronic disease we used an intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Açai Seeds was administered orally dissolved in saline. Results: We found that Açai Seeds was able to reduce histological alteration, cells infiltration, pro inflammatory cytokine release, inflammation, and oxidative stress in both acute and chronic model of lung disease. Conclusion: Our data clearly demonstrate for the first time that Açai Seeds administration was useful against lung disease by the reduction of NF-κB nuclear translocation and by the stimulation of Nrf2/ARE pathways promoting the physiological antioxidant defense.