title: Anti-inflammatory activity of patchouli alcohol isolated from Pogostemonis Herba in animal models.
abstract: Pogostemonis Herba has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Patchouli alcohol (PA), a tricyclic sesquiterpene isolated from Pogostemonis Herba, is known to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. The present study aimed to investigate the in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of PA using two common inflammatory animal models i.e., xylene-induced ear edema in mice and carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. The degree of edema in both inflammatory animals, as well as the protein and mRNA expression of some inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and nitric oxide (NO) in the hind paw of carrageenan-treated rats were measured. Results showed that PA (10-40 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the ear edema induced by xylene in mice and the paw edema induced by carrageenan in rats. In addition, treatment with PA (10-40 mg/kg) also dose-dependently decreased the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, PGE₂ and NO in the hind paw of carrageenan-treated rats. Furthermore, PA treatment also suppressed the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the hind paw of carrageenan-treated rats. These results suggest that PA possesses potent anti-inflammatory activity, which may be mediated, at least in part, by down-regulating the mRNA expression of a panel of inflammatory mediators including TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS and COX-2.
authors.affiliation: College of Chinese Medicines, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu-Cui
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: Siu-Po
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Zi-Ren
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ji-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jing-Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Zhi-Xiu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002351:Carrageenan; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014992:Xylenes
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D014992:Xylenes; D002351:Carrageenan; C052983:patchouli alcohol