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Curr Pharm Des. 2014;20(6):850-6. doi: 10.2174/13816128113199990048.
Carapa guianensis Aublet (Meliaceae), also known as andiroba, is used in popular medicine in Brazil and other countries encompassing the Amazon rainforest. Virtually all parts of the andiroba tree are utilized, including the seed's oil, which is employed to treat inflammation and infections. The medicinal properties of C. guianensis have been attributed to the presence of limonoids, which are tetranortriterpenoids. We have previously demonstrated that the oil obtained from C. guianensis seeds contains different tetranortriterpenoids, including 6α-acetoxygedunin, 7-deacetoxy-7-oxogedunin, andirobin, gedunin and methyl-angolensate. The seeds oil and this fraction of tetranortriterpenoids present marked anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties, by inhibiting edema formation in different experimental models in rodents, via the impairment of signaling pathways triggered by histamine, bradykinin and platelet-activating factor. Tetranortriterpenoids also impaired the production of inflammatory mediators that trigger leukocyte infiltration into the inflammatory site, including the eosinophilotactic mediators interleukin (IL)-5 and CCL11/eotaxin, as well as the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-1β. This phenomenon seems to depend on the inhibition of nuclear factor κB (NFκB) activation. We have further demonstrated that each one of the five tetranortriterpenoids listed above presented inhibitory effects on the activation of different cell populations, including mast cells, eosinophils and T lymphocytes, through which they impaired allergy and inflammation. This review will discuss the therapeutic effects of C. guianensis oil and its compounds, focusing on the scientific evidences that support its traditional use in inflammatory conditions and its anti-allergic properties.
圭亚那油桃木（楝科），俗称巴西胡桃木，在巴西和其他亚马逊雨林国家的民间医学中被使用。该树几乎所有部分都被利用，包括其种子油，可用于治疗炎症和感染。圭亚那油桃木的药用特性归因于存在柠檬苦素，这是一种四环三萜。我们之前已经证明，从圭亚那油桃木种子中获得的油含有不同的四环三萜，包括 6α-乙酰氧基吉墩因、7-去乙酰氧基-7-氧吉墩因、巴西胡桃脂素、吉墩因和甲基-angolensate。种子油和四环三萜这一分馏物具有明显的抗炎和抗过敏特性，通过抑制组胺、缓激肽和血小板激活因子触发的信号通路，在不同的啮齿动物实验模型中抑制水肿形成。四环三萜还损害了触发白细胞浸润炎症部位的炎症介质的产生，包括嗜酸性粒细胞趋化因子白细胞介素（IL）-5 和 CCL11/eotaxin 以及炎症细胞因子肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α 和 IL-1β。这种现象似乎取决于核因子κB（NFκB）激活的抑制。我们进一步证明，上述列出的五种四环三萜中的每一种都对不同细胞群体的激活具有抑制作用，包括肥大细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞和 T 淋巴细胞，从而损害过敏和炎症。这篇综述将讨论圭亚那油桃木油及其化合物的治疗效果，重点介绍支持其在炎症条件下的传统用途及其抗过敏特性的科学证据。
