title: Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) ameliorates murine spontaneous ileitis by decreasing lymphocyte recruitment to the inflamed intestine.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa City, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hokari
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Komoto
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: Yoshikiyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Hisayuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takebayashi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsuzuki
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hibi
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miura
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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