Animal experiment analyzing the preventive effects of wild watermelon on acute lung injury caused by urban aerosol particles in mice

• Published in: Discover applied sciences Vol. 7; no. 9; p. 1000
• Main Authors: Shimoda, Mikako, Nakashima, Ayaka, Shiota, Sachie, Hosaka, Ayano, Watanabe, Mai, Kawahara, Masahiro, Yasuda, Kosuke, Suzuki, Kengo, Tanaka, Ken-ichiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.09.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aerosols; Air pollution; Animal models; Antioxidants; Applied and Technical Physics; Cardiovascular diseases; Chemistry/Food Science; Chemokines; Citrulline; Citrullus lanatus lanatus; Contaminants; Earth Sciences; Engineering; Environment; Experimental methods; Experiments; Health risks; Inflammation; Influenza; Injury analysis; Injury prevention; Laboratories; Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Lung diseases; Lungs; Materials Science; Oral administration; Outdoor air quality; Oxidative stress; Particulate matter; Pollutants; Polyphenols; Reactive oxygen species; Research methodology; Water melons; United States > US; Japan; Acute lung injury; Oxidative stress; Air pollution; Wild watermelon
• ISSN: 2523-3963; 3004-9261; 2523-3971
• DOI: 10.1007/s42452-025-07661-3

Oxidative stress, which is associated with excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, is induced by air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), and promotes inflammatory responses in the lungs, leading to the development and progression of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Citrullus lanatus sp. 101117-1, commonly known as wild watermelon (WWM), is native to the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa and is rich in citrulline and polyphenols with antioxidant properties. Thus, in the present study, we analyzed the effects of the juice of WWM (WWMJ) in a mouse model of air pollutant-induced lung injury and in an experimental cell system. Air pollutants increased the number of inflammatory cells (especially neutrophils), the expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and ROS production in the lungs of mice. However, oral administration of WWMJ markedly suppressed these responses. WWMJ also suppressed air pollutant-induced inflammatory responses and ROS production in RAW264 cells. Furthermore, analysis of cellular experimental systems showed that citrulline and pinoresinol, two components of WWMJ, may inhibit air pollutant-induced ROS production. These results suggest that WWMJ reduces acute lung injury induced by air pollutants, such as PM 2.5 , by exerting antioxidant effects in animal models. Although there are issues to be resolved, including long-term safety studies, the findings of this study are the first important results to establish WWMJ administration as a method for preventing adverse health effects resulting from exposure to environmental contaminants.