title: Corn mint (Mentha arvensis) extract diminishes acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Corn mint ( Mentha arvensis ) provides a good source of natural phenols such as flavone glycosides and caffeic acid derivatives, which may have prophylactic properties against inflammations. This study investigated whether corn mint extract would be beneficial against a universal respiratory tract pathogen,  Chlamydia pneumoniae , infection. The extract inhibited the growth of C. pneumoniae CWL-029 in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition was confirmed against a clinical isolate K7. The phenolic composition of the extract was analyzed by UPLC-ESI/Q-TOF/MS, the main components being linarin and rosmarinic acid. These compounds were active in vitro against C. pneumoniae. Linarin completely inhibited the growth at 100 μM. Inbred C57BL/6J mice were inoculated with C. pneumoniae K7. M. arvensis extract was given intraperitoneally once daily for 3 days prior to inoculation and continued for 10 days postinfection. The extract was able to diminish the inflammatory parameters related to C. pneumoniae infection and significantly (p = 0.019) lowered the number of C. pneumoniae genome equivalents detected by PCR at biologically relevant amounts.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biosciences, Abo Akademi University, BioCity, Artillerigatan 6 A, FI-20520 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Salin
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Törmäkangas
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leinonen
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saario
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagström
authors.forename: Raimo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ketola
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saikku
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vuorela
authors.forename: Pia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vuorela
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000032:analysis; D053630:Depsides / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006027:Glycosides / Q000032:analysis; D027541:Mentha / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002934:Cinnamates; D053630:Depsides; D006027:Glycosides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid; C008282:linarin