Abstract
Background:
Dengue infection can trigger an immunological response that results in an inflammatory reaction, which acts as a defensive mechanism to protect the host. Dengue infection leads to an elevation in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. These three cytokines have been shown to correlate with the development of thrombocytopenia and plasma leakage, which is related to the severity of the disease.
Aim:
This study aims to investigate the effect of faloak (Sterculia quadrifida R. Br) stem bark on TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels in Wistar rats infected with dengue, specifically DENV-3.
Methods:
A group of 27 male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) aged 2-3 months and weighting 200-300 grams were divided into three distinct groups: healthy, dengue, and treatment (dengue infection and extract) groups. The rats in both the dengue and treatment groups were administered an injection of DENV-3 with a titer of 105 pfu at a dosage of 0.8 cc via the intraperitoneal route. The propagation of DENV-3 was initiated using C6/36 cells, and it underwent four passages. The extract was administered orally via a nasogastric tube at a dosage of 1500mg/kg body weight once daily for seven days. The healthy group underwent blood sampling on the first day, whereas the dengue and therapy groups underwent blood sampling on the 5th and 8th, respectively.
Results:
Compared with the healthy group, TNF-α levels in the dengue and treatment groups showed significant differences on day five post-infection. The post hoc analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the dengue-treatment and dengue-healthy groups. The IL-1β levels in the dengue and healthy groups significantly differed on days 5 and 8 post-infection compared to the healthy group. The treatment group had less of a decrease in IL-6 levels on days 5 and 8 than the dengue group. However, no statistically significant differences were observed.
Conclusion:
The stem bark of S. quadrifida shows potential as an anti-inflammatory agent in dengue infections, particularly in its ability to decrease levels of TNF-α and IL-1β.

Key words: Anti-inflammation, Dengue, Pro-inflammatory cytokine, Sterculia quadrifida R. Br, Wistar rats