Anti-inflammatory properties of carvacrol, an active compound in western-type herbs

• Main Authors: Hsiu-Lan Lin Che, 林車秀蘭
• Other Authors: 翁家瑞
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/71937718601441075195

碩士 === 台南應用科技大學 === 生活應用科學研究所 === 103 === Carvacrol is a phenolic monoterpene presents in the essential oil of the family Lamiaceae that responsible for the biological activities of oregano. Carvacrol is used as feed additive and preservative because of its diverse bioactivities such as antimicrobial, antitumor, antimutagenic, antiplatelet, antihepatotoxic and hepatoprotective activities and so on. Carvacrol was reported that is effective as an analgesic compound by inhibiting peripheral mediators, and the function could be related with its strong antioxidant effect observed in vitro. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential and molecular mechanism of carvacrol in cell model, RAW 264.7 cells. MTT method was used to assay the toxicity of carvacrol on cells. Cells were stimulated to the status of inflammation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and then treated with carvacrol at a non-toxic concentration. The levels of several inflammation-related factors were determined, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by ELISA, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 by gelatin zymography, and molecular signaling MAPKs and transcription factor NF-B by Western blot. The results indicated that TNF-α and IL-6 in cells can be significantly induced by 100 ng/mL LPS, and the induced-TNF-α and IL-6 were suppressed by the treatment of carvacrol at a concentration of 25-150 M. The gelatinolytic activity and expression of MMP-9 were depressed by carvacrol. Additionally, MAPKs and NF-B in cells were inactivated by carvacrol. From the results, we concluded that carvacrol is a potential anti-inflammatory natural compound. The inflammation-inhibited effect may through downregulating TNF-α, IL-6, and MMP-9 via inactivating MAPKs and NF-B.