Anti-inflammatory Study on the Constituents of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Franch. & Sav., Angelica pubescence Maxim and Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Essential Oils.

Umbelliferae plants, which are widely used as traditional Chinese medicine because of their characteristics of relieving rheumatism, alleviating fever, circulating blood and easing pain. This experimental study was based on ear edema model caused by 12-O-tetracycline-propylphenol-13-acetic acid (TPA) in mice and compared with the Ibuprofen (Ib) group. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyse the composition of the essential oils from the four studied Umbelliferae plants (Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, A. dahurica (Hoffm.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Franch. & Sav., A. pubescens Maxim and Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). Biologically active components in volatile oils from the four studied Umbelliferae plants were evaluated. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and RelA (p65) in mouse skin were determined by immunohistochemical method. The refractive index of the four essential oils was calculated. A total of 239 compounds were identified by GC-MS from the four studied plants, and the main constituents were osthole (44.61%, APEOs), obepin (0.59%, APEOs & 86.58%, FVEOs), undecanol (8.58%, ADEOs), α-muurolene (7.95%, ADEOs) and cis-anethol (9.11%, ADEOs). E-ligustilide (0.14%, APEOs & 81.14%, ASEOs), (-)-spathulenol (0.08%, FVEOs & 1.21%, ASEOs), (-)-terpinen-4-ol (4.91%, FVEOs), 2-butylthiolane (5.76%, APEOs) and α-bisabolol (3.80%, APEOs). This study showed that all the essential oils from the four studied Umbelliferae plants contained various lactones, including ligustrongolactone, trans-anisol and imperatorin. According to the results of the TPA induction test in the mouse ear edema model, the essential oils of four Umbelliferae plants reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, COX-2, IL-6 and p65. All of them showed extraordinary biological activity in anti-inflammatory, so they have potential application value for biomedical products, pharmaceutical preparations, natural functional nutrients and cosmetic additives.