title: In-vivo and in-vitro anti-inflammatory effect of Echinacea purpurea and Hypericum perforatum.
abstract: Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench and Hypericum perforatum (L.) were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced paw oedema in mice. Each drug was administered orally to mice at 30 and 100 mg kg(-1), twice daily. Only the higher dose significantly inhibited, time dependently, the formation of oedema, evaluated as area under the curve (echinacea P < 0.01; hypericum P < 0.05). Western blot analysis showed that in-vivo treatment with these extracts could modulate lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in peritoneal macrophages. In particular, treatment with 100 mg kg(-1) hypericum inhibited both iNOS and COX-2 expression, whereas treatment with 100 mg kg(-1) echinacea down-regulated only COX-2 expression. The present study suggests that the anti-inflammatory effect of these extracts could be in part related to their modulation of COX-2 expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pharmacology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina Mattace
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Raso
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pacilio
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002351:Carrageenan; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020900:Echinacea / Q000737:chemistry*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry*; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002351:Carrageenan; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D007213:Indomethacin