Anti-inflammatory effects of compounds alpha-humulene and (−)- trans-caryophyllene isolated from the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology 2007-08, Vol.569 (3), p.228-236
• Main Authors: Fernandes, Elizabeth S., Passos, Giselle F., Medeiros, Rodrigo, da Cunha, Fernanda M., Ferreira, Juliano, Campos, Maria M., Pianowski, Luiz F., Calixto, João B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: (−)- trans-caryophyllene; Administration, Oral; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - isolation & purification; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - pharmacology; Anti-inflammatory property; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; C. verbenacea's essential oil; Cordia - chemistry; Cyclooxygenase 2 - drug effects; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Dexamethasone - pharmacology; Dinoprostone - biosynthesis; Edema - chemically induced; Edema - drug therapy; Interleukin-1beta - drug effects; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine, Traditional; Mice; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - drug effects; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Oils, Volatile - chemistry; Oral effect; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Components, Aerial; Plants, Medicinal; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sesquiterpenes - isolation & purification; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - drug effects; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; α-humulene
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.04.059

This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties of two sesquiterpenes isolated from Cordia verbenacea's essential oil, α-humulene and (−)- trans-caryophyllene. Our results revealed that oral treatment with both compounds displayed marked inhibitory effects in different inflammatory experimental models in mice and rats. α-humulene and (−)- trans-caryophyllene were effective in reducing platelet activating factor-, bradykinin- and ovoalbumin-induced mouse paw oedema, while only α-humulene was able to diminish the oedema formation caused by histamine injection. Also, both compounds had important inhibitory effects on the mouse and rat carrageenan-induced paw oedema. Systemic treatment with α-humulene largely prevented both tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) generation in carrageenan-injected rats, whereas (−)- trans-caryophyllene diminished only TNFα release. Furthermore, both compounds reduced the production of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2), as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) expression, induced by the intraplantar injection of carrageenan in rats. The anti-inflammatory effects of α-humulene and (−)- trans-caryophyllene were comparable to those observed in dexamethasone-treated animals, used as positive control drug. All these findings indicate that α-humulene and (−)- trans-caryophyllene, derived from the essential oil of C. verbenacea, might represent important tools for the management and/or treatment of inflammatory diseases.