title: Anti-inflammatory effects of seeds of the tropical fruit camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia).
abstract: The methanolic extract of seeds of the tropical fruit camu-camu was screened for its anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced paw edema model mice. The extract significantly suppressed both the formation of edema in mice by oral administration and the release of nitric oxide from macrophage-derived RAW 264.7 cells in vitro. Based on the results of a spectroscopic analysis, the active compound was identified by in vivo bioassay-guided fractionation to be 3β-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, betulinic acid, known as an anti-inflammatory triterpenoid. These findings suggest that camu-camu seed extract is a potentially useful material as a source of betulinic acid and as a functional food for prevention of immune-related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Science, Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazunaga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yazawa
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Honma
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirosaki
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055951:Functional Food; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D027822:Myrtaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014315:Triterpenes; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002351:Carrageenan; D000094062:Betulinic Acid