Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate reduces acute lung inflammation through increased alternatively activated macrophage activity in an acute mouse model of allergic airways disease

Abstract

Bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins, proanthocyanins and other polyphenols are found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and consumption of these have been associated with reduced lung inflammation and improved lung function in asthma and other lung diseases. We investigated whether a combination of Boysenberry and apple juice, found in BerriQi(R) Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate, could reduce the allergic airways inflammation associated with asthma. We characterised the polyphenolic components in BerriQi(R) Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate and identified the main compounds as cyanidin glycosides, ellagitannins, and chlorogenic acid. We found that consumption of 2.5 mg/kg of total anthocyanins from the BerriQi(R) Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate significantly reduced eosinophil infiltration following acute ovalbumin (OVA) exposure in a mouse model of allergic airways inflammation. We found that BerriQi(R) Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate consumption increased M2 (CD206+) macrophages and the production of the M2-associated cytokines CXCL10 and CCL4 within the lung. These results suggest that consumption of BerriQi(R) Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate promotes a shift towards an anti-inflammatory environment within the lung leading to reduced immune cell infiltration and tissue damage.