In-vitro anti-inflammatory effect of Eucalyptus globulus and Thymus vulgaris: nitric oxide inhibition in J774A.1 murine macrophages.
It is well known that nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and Thymus vulgaris L. have been used in traditional medicine in the treatment of bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory diseases. The present study focuses on the effects of these two extracts on NO production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the murine macrophage cell line J774A.1. In addition, cell viability, scavenging activity and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression were evaluated. E. globulus and T. vulgaris extracts significantly inhibited the enhanced production of NO induced by LPS and IFN-gamma in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with these two extracts did not reduce cell viability at any dose used. Both plant extracts showed significant scavenging of NO radicals released by an NO donor, PAPA-NONOate. Results also show that pre-treatment with E. globulus and T. vulgaris extracts significantly inhibits iNOS mRNA expression. This study thus suggests that the inhibition of net NO production by these two extracts may be due to their NO scavenging activity and/or their inhibitory effects on iNOS gene expression.
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
E
E
Vigo
A
A
Cepeda
O
O
Gualillo
R
R
Perez-Fernandez
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000009:adverse effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000009:adverse effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013030:Spain; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006834:Hydrazines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009822:Oils, Volatile; C112653:PAPA NONOate; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003907:Dexamethasone; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse