Bullfrog oil (BFO) is a natural product from the adipose tissue of the amphibian Rana catesbeiana Shaw, a bio-product rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which claims anti-inflammatory activity. The objective of this work was to evaluate the cytotoxicity and the anti-inflammatory activity of BFO using in vivo and in vitro assays. Thus, the in vitro cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT assay. Additionally, the in vivo anti-inflammatory activity was performed by the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in Wistar rats, followed by histological analysis. Moreover, the BFO effect on inflammatory pathways was investigated by in vitro evaluation of the nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, and type-6 interleukin (IL-6) and tumor-necrosis-factor (TNF) levels. In vivo experiments showed that BFO administered by intragastric route produced a significant anti-inflammatory effect, which was as substantial as indomethacin, the positive control. Histopathological analysis confirmed these results, showing the absence of the edema and minimal signs of inflammation in the paws of rats treated with BFO. The MTT results showed that BFO at all tested concentrations had no toxic effect against a macrophage cell line, not affecting the cell viability. In addition, after 48 hours of treatment, the BFO itself and its blend with Cetiol®-V (1:1v/v) at 200 µg.mL-1 were able to reduce the NO synthesis, and the IL-6 and TNF levels up to 35 ± 2%, 40 ± 6%, and 12 ± 3%, respectively. Therefore, these results provide unprecedented scientific evidence of the anti-inflammatory effect of BFO, suggesting its potential as a new candidate for the development of pharmaceutical products with anti-inflammatory activity.
Keywords: Rana catesbeiana oil; histological analysis; inflammation; natural products; rat paw edema.