Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) ameliorates murine spontaneous ileitis by decreasing lymphocyte recruitment to the inflamed intestine.
OBJECTIVE
Aberrant leukocyte migration has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Lemon grass is a natural herb that contains citral, which suppresses lymphocyte expression of gut homing molecules by inhibiting retinoic acid formation. We therefore hypothesized that lemon grass intake could ameliorate excess migration of leukocytes to the inflamed intestine in chronic ileitis.


METHODS
Migration of fluorescence-labeled T cells to microvessels in the ileal mucosa of SAMP1/Yit mice was monitored using intravital microscopy. In some mice, lemon grass solution was administered for two weeks. For evaluation of the effects on chronic ileitis, mice were treated with lemon grass for 26 weeks.


RESULTS
Surface expression of beta7 and CCR9 on T lymphocytes was stronger in SAMP1/Yit mice than in AKR/J mice. Lemon grass treatment attenuated the surface expression of beta7-integrin and CCR9. The number of adherent lymphocytes to microvessels in chronic inflamed ileum was significantly few when lymphocytes were isolated from lemon grass treated mice. Long-term lemon grass treatment improved ileitis in SAMP1/Yit mice, which was assessed by body weight, histological changes and the infiltration of beta7-positive cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Lemon grass ameliorated ileitis through decreasing lymphocyte migration by inhibiting beta7-expression, suggesting its therapeutic usefulness for IBD.
Watanabe
Chikako
C
Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa City, Saitama, Japan.
Hokari
Ryota
R
Komoto
Shunsuke
S
Kurihara
Chie
C
Okada
Yoshikiyo
Y
Matsunaga
Hisayuki
H
Takebayashi
Koichi
K
Kawaguchi
Atsushi
A
Nagao
Shigeaki
S
Tsuzuki
Yoshikazu
Y
Yokoyama
Hirokazu
H
Hibi
Toshifumi
T
Miura
Soichiro
S
D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D031743:Cymbopogon; D007079:Ileitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007082:Ileum / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D039641:Integrin beta Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D055806:Microvessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054388:Receptors, CCR / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism
C119309:CC chemokine receptor 9; D039641:Integrin beta Chains; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054388:Receptors, CCR; C091368:integrin beta7; D014212:Tretinoin; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; C022520:retinol dehydrogenase