Universidade Federal da Bahia, Barão de Jeremoabo s/n, CEP 40170-290, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Eur J Pharmacol. 2013 Jan 15;699(1-3):112-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2012.11.040. Epub 2012 Dec 3.
Carvacrol, a phenolic monoterpene, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory properties. However, the mechanisms involved in its pharmacological properties are currently not well understood. In the present study, the contribution of cytokine modulation to the anti-inflammatory effects of carvacrol was investigated in a classical inflammation model: the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced paw inflammation in mice. The paw edema was measured using a plesthismometer. Paw tissue was removed 2h after the inflammatory stimulus to determine the levels of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) by enzyme immunoassay, the levels of interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) by ELISA or the mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-10 by real-time PCR. Administration of carvacrol produced anti-inflammatory effects against CFA-induced inflammation in mice. Treatment of mice with carvacrol at 50 and 100mg/kg attenuated the paw edema and reduced the IL-1β and PGE(2), but not TNF-α, local levels. Similarly, carvacrol (100mg/kg) reduced the COX-2 and IL-1β mRNA expression. The levels of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, and the IL-10 mRNA expression in the inflamed paw were enhanced by carvacrol. In addition, the treatment with carvacrol did not reduce the CFA-induced paw edema in IL-10 knockout mice. The present results suggest that carvacrol causes anti-inflammatory effects by reducing the production of inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1β and prostanoids, possibly through the induction of IL-10 release.
香芹酚是一种酚类单萜，据报道具有抗炎特性。然而，其药理学特性的相关机制目前尚不清楚。在本研究中，通过经典炎症模型：完全弗氏佐剂（CFA）诱导的小鼠爪肿胀模型，研究了细胞因子调节在香芹酚抗炎作用中的贡献。使用弹性测径器测量爪肿胀。在炎症刺激后 2 小时取出爪组织，通过酶联免疫吸附试验测定前列腺素 E2（PGE2）的水平，通过 ELISA 或实时 PCR 测定白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和白细胞介素-10（IL-10）的水平。香芹酚对 CFA 诱导的小鼠炎症具有抗炎作用。香芹酚 50 和 100mg/kg 剂量可减轻爪肿胀，降低 IL-1β 和 PGE2 水平，但不降低 TNF-α 水平。同样，香芹酚（100mg/kg）降低了 COX-2 和 IL-1β 的 mRNA 表达。抗炎细胞因子 IL-10 及其在发炎爪中的 mRNA 表达也被香芹酚所增强。此外，香芹酚处理不会减少 IL-10 敲除小鼠中 CFA 诱导的爪肿胀。这些结果表明，香芹酚通过减少炎症介质的产生，如 IL-1β 和前列腺素，从而产生抗炎作用，可能是通过诱导 IL-10 释放。
