Anti-Inflammatory properties of Salograviolide A purified from Lebanese plant <it>Centaurea ainetensis</it>

• Main Authors: Saliba Najat A, Salloum Ralph, Al-Ashi Randa, Al-Saghir Jamal, Talhouk Rabih S, Homaidan Fadia R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2009-09-01
• Series: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/9/36

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anti-inflammatory activities of medicinal plants have largely been attributed to their content of sesquiterpene lactones (SLs). SLs are predominantly found in the sunflower family <it>Asteraceae </it>and have been isolated from many plants of this family, particularly <it>Centaurea</it>. The anti-inflammatory activities of extract of <it>Centaurea ainetensis</it>, a Lebanese endemic plant, and the isolated active molecule were assessed for their potential ant-inflammatory activities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Plant extract from <it>Centaurea ainetensis</it>, and the isolated active ingredient Salograviolide A (SA), a sesquiterpene lactones guaianolide, were used for the study. Western blotting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays were used to test the effects of the plant extract and SA on interleukin-1 (IL-1) induced increase in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels and in nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) translocation in an intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) of inflammation. Their effects on inflammation score and cytokine levels were also studied in an iodoacetoamide-induced rat model of inflammation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Plant extract and SA were shown to reverse the effects observed by IL-1 on COX-2 levels and NF-κB translocation in IEC. SA decreased the level of inflammatory cytokines and the level of inflammation in the animal model.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that SA may be useful in the development of natural therapies for inflammatory diseases.</p>