Prophylactic Palmitoylethanolamide Prolongs Survival and Decreases Detrimental Inflammation in Aged Mice With Bacterial Meningitis
Laboratory studyOther animals
- Design
- Laboratory study
- Subjects
- 19-month-old wild-type mice, given intracerebral E. coli K1 infection, PEA-treated (n=19) versus vehicle-treated (n=19)
- Dose used in the study
- PEA 0.1 mg/kg intraperitoneal, two doses, 12 hours and 30 minutes before infection
- Duration
- Two doses before infection; outcomes followed for survival and measured at 24 hours after infection
- What was measured
- Survival time; bacterial loads in cerebellum, blood, spleen and liver; microglia counts and activation; cytokines/chemokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, MIP-1alpha, CXCL1) in cerebellum and spleen; serum bioactive lipids.
What the authors reported
This laboratory study found:
- Without antibiotics, PEA-pretreated mice survived a median 18 hours longer than vehicle-treated mice (P=0.031) and had delayed onset of symptoms (P=0.037).
- PEA-pretreated mice had lower bacterial loads in spleen, liver and blood (P<=0.037), lower spleen cytokines/chemokines at 24 hours, and lower serum arachidonic acid and one of its metabolites.
- Brain bacterial titres tended lower and microglial activation was reduced (P=0.042).
Limits of this study
An aged-mouse model of bacterial meningitis without antibiotic treatment, which does not reflect standard clinical care; it cannot show effect in people. Funding and conflicts not stated in the abstract.
Source
PubMed 30505308 · doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.02671
Entry checked against the abstract on PubMed on 2026-09-22. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.