Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Food Chem. 2012 Dec 1;135(3):976-84. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.05.045. Epub 2012 May 22.
In this study, we aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of wild bitter melons (WBM; Momordica charantia Linn. var. abbreviata Ser.) on Propionibacterium acnes-induced inflammation and to identify the bioactive components. Our results showed that ethyl acetate (EA) extract of WBM fruit in vitro potently suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 levels in P. acnes-stimulated THP-1 cells. Furthermore, concomitant intradermal injection of WBM EA extract in mice effectively attenuated P. acnes-induced ear swelling and granulomatous inflammation. To further investigate the bioactive components, we found that both saponifiable (S) and nonsaponifiable (NS) fractions of WBM EA extract significantly suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine and MMP-9 levels. Phytol and lutein, identified in the NS fraction, also inhibited cytokine production. Moreover, S and NS fractions of EA extract, phytol and lutein, activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α and β in the transactivation assay. Our results suggested that PPARα or PPARγ signalling may contribute, at least in part, to the anti-inflammatory activity of WBM.
在这项研究中，我们旨在评估野生苦瓜（Momordica charantia Linn. var. abbreviata Ser.）对痤疮丙酸杆菌诱导的炎症的抑制作用，并鉴定其生物活性成分。我们的结果表明，WBM 果实的乙酸乙酯（EA）提取物在体外强烈抑制了 P. acnes 刺激的 THP-1 细胞中促炎细胞因子和基质金属蛋白酶（MMP）-9 的水平。此外，同时向小鼠皮内注射 WBM EA 提取物可有效减轻 P. acnes 诱导的耳部肿胀和肉芽肿性炎症。为了进一步研究生物活性成分，我们发现 WBM EA 提取物的可皂化（S）和不可皂化（NS）部分均显著抑制了促炎细胞因子和 MMP-9 的水平。在 NS 部分鉴定出的植醇和叶黄素也抑制了细胞因子的产生。此外，EA 提取物的 S 和 NS 部分、植醇和叶黄素在转激活测定中激活了过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体（PPAR）α和β。我们的结果表明，PPARα 或 PPARγ 信号通路可能至少部分参与了 WBM 的抗炎活性。
