title: In vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of Cinnamomum camphora extracts.
abstract: Cinnamomum camphora Sieb (Lauraceae) has long been prescribed in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases such as rheumatism, sprains, bronchitis and muscle pains. In this study, therefore, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Cinnamomum camphora on various inflammatory phenomena to explore its potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms under non-cytotoxic (less than 100 microg/ml) conditions. The total crude extract (100 microg/ml) prepared with 80% methanol (MeOH extract) and its fractions (100 microg/ml) obtained by solvent partition with hexane and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) significantly blocked the production of interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6 and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha from RAW264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) up to 20-70%. The hexane and EtOAc extracts (100 microg/ml) also inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS/interferon (IFN)-gamma-activated macrophages by 65%. The MeOH extract (100 microg/ml) as well as two fractions (100 microg/ml) prepared by solvent partition with n-butanol (BuOH) and EtOAc strongly suppressed the prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production in LPS/IFN-gamma-activated macrophages up to 70%. It is interesting to note that hexane, BuOH and EtOAc extracts (100 microg/ml) also inhibited the functional activation of beta1-integrins (CD29) assessed by U937 homotypic aggregation up to 70-80%. Furthermore, EtOAc and BuOH extracts displayed strong anti-oxidative activity with IC(50) values of 14 and 15 microM, respectively, when tested by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and xanthine oxide (XO) assays. Taken together, these data suggest that the anti-inflammatory actions of Cinnamomum camphora may be due to the modulation of cytokine, NO and PGE(2) production and oxidative stress, and of the subfractions tested, the EtOAc extract may be further studied to isolate the active anti-inflammatory principles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Cheju National University, Ara-1 dong, Jeju 690-756, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Ja
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun-A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.forename: Weon Jong
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Byung Hun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Man Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Hee Kyoung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jae Youl
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Eun Sook
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D027423:Cinnamomum camphora; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D007375:Interleukin-1; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C052994:interleukin-1beta (163-171); D009569:Nitric Oxide