Yoganathan Subbiah, Nicolosi Robert, Wilson Thomas, Handelman Garry, Scollin Patrick, Tao Richard, Binford Paul, Orthoefer Frank
Forsyth Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Lipids. 2003 Jun;38(6):603-7. doi: 10.1007/s11745-003-1104-y.
Emu oil is derived from the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), which originated in Australia, and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation was induced in anesthetized CD-1 mice by applying 50 microL of 2% croton oil to the inner surface of the left ear. After 2 h, the area was treated with 5 microL of emu, fish, flaxseed, olive, or liquified chicken fat, or left untreated. Animals were euthanized at 6 h postapplication of different oils, and earplugs (EP) and plasma samples were collected. Inflammation was evaluated by change in earlobe thickness, increase in weight of EP tissue (compared to the untreated ear), and induction in cytokines interleukin (IL)-1alpha and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in EP homogenates. Although reductions relative to control (croton oil) were noted for all treatments, auricular thickness and EP weights were significantly reduced (-72 and -71%, respectively) only in the emu oil-treated group. IL-1alpha levels in homogenates of auricular tissue were significantly reduced in the fish oil (-57%) and emu oil (-70%) groups relative to the control group. The cytokine TNF-alpha from auricular homogenates was significantly reduced in the olive oil (-52%) and emu oil (-60%) treatment groups relative to the control group. Plasma cytokine levels were not changed by croton oil treatment. Although auricular thickness and weight were significantly correlated with each other (r = 0.780, P < 0.003), auricular thickness but not weight was significantly correlated with cytokine IL-alpha (r = 0.750, P < 0.006) and TNF-alpha (r = 0.690, P < 0.02). These studies indicate that topical emu oil has anti-inflammatory properties in the CD-1 mouse that are associated with decreased auricular thickness and weight, and with the cytokines IL-1alpha and TNF-alpha.
鸸鹋油取自原产于澳大利亚的鸸鹋（新荷兰鸸鹋），据报道具有抗炎特性。通过在麻醉的CD-1小鼠左耳内表面涂抹50微升2%巴豆油来诱导炎症。2小时后，用5微升鸸鹋油、鱼油、亚麻籽油、橄榄油或液化鸡脂肪处理该部位，或者不进行处理。在涂抹不同油脂6小时后对动物实施安乐死，并收集耳塞（EP）和血浆样本。通过耳垂厚度的变化、EP组织重量的增加（与未处理的耳朵相比）以及EP匀浆中细胞因子白细胞介素（IL）-1α和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）的诱导情况来评估炎症。尽管所有处理组相对于对照组（巴豆油）均有降低，但仅在鸸鹋油处理组中，耳廓厚度和EP重量显著降低（分别降低了72%和71%）。相对于对照组，鱼油组（-57%）和鸸鹋油组（-70%）耳廓组织匀浆中的IL-1α水平显著降低。相对于对照组，橄榄油处理组（-52%）和鸸鹋油处理组（-60%）耳廓匀浆中的细胞因子TNF-α显著降低。巴豆油处理未改变血浆细胞因子水平。尽管耳廓厚度和重量彼此显著相关（r = 0.780，P < 0.003），但仅耳廓厚度与细胞因子IL-α（r = 0.750，P < 0.006）和TNF-α（r = 0.690，P < 0.02）显著相关。这些研究表明，局部应用鸸鹋油在CD-1小鼠中具有抗炎特性，这与耳廓厚度和重量的降低以及细胞因子IL-1α和TNF-α有关。
