Chlorophyll revisited: anti-inflammatory activities of chlorophyll a and inhibition of expression of TNF-α gene by the same.
In view of the folklore use of green leaves to treat inflammation, the anti-inflammatory property of chlorophylls and their degradation products were studied. Chlorophyll a and pheophytin a (magnesium-free chlorophyll a) from fresh leaves showed potent anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice and formalin-induced paw edema in rats. Chlorophyll a inhibited bacterial lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α (a pro-inflammatory cytokine) gene expression in HEK293 cells, but it did not influence the expression of inducible nitric acid synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 genes. Chlorophyll b only marginally inhibited both inflammation and TNF-α gene expression. But both chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b showed the same level of marginal inhibition on 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate-induced NF-κB activation. Chlorophylls and pheophytins showed in vitro anti-oxidant activity. The study shows that chlorophyll a and its degradation products are valuable and abundantly available anti-inflammatory agents and promising for the development of phytomedicine or conventional medicine to treat inflammation and related diseases.
Phytochemistry and Phytopharmacology Division, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Thiruvananthapuram District, Pin: 695562, India. asubramoniam@yahoo.com
Appian
A
Subramoniam
Velikkakathu V
VV
Asha
Sadasivan Ajikumaran
SA
Nair
Sreejith P
SP
Sasidharan
Parameswaran K
PK
Sureshkumar
Krishnan Nair
KN
Rajendran
Devarajan
D
Karunagaran
Krishnan
K
Ramalingam
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002351:Carrageenan; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D036604:Chromolaena; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D036602:Eupatorium; D005557:Formaldehyde; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D029586:Moraceae; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010674:Pheophytins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010674:Pheophytins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002734:Chlorophyll; D005557:Formaldehyde; C037184:chlorophyll b; C061694:pheophytin a; D002351:Carrageenan; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D000077194:Chlorophyll A